NASHVILLE, TN (October 14, 2024)—Special Olympics Tennessee’s (SOTN) State Fall Games returns this weekend at Smyrna Bowling Center and Richard Siegel Park in Rutherford County on October 18 and 19. The games will feature four Special Olympics sports, and over 900 athletes and Unified Partners from across the state will participate. Volunteers are still needed for both days of the event in roles consisting of scorekeeping, timekeeping, down markers, general health, health screening, awards, merchandise sales and more.
The competition will begin on Friday, October 18, with bowling at Smyrna Bowling Center at 9:00 a.m. The opening ceremonies will be held at Richard Siegel Park at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Saturday will see competitions in flag football, fitness and the debut of cornhole at Richard Siegel Park beginning at 8:45 a.m. The Unified Flag Football state competition, in partnership with the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA), will also occur on Saturday. Find a schedule of events at www.specialolympicstn.org/fallgames.
SOTN athletes will also participate in the event's two free Healthy Athletes screenings. Fit Feet will offer screenings to evaluate ankles, feet, lower extremity biomechanics and proper shoe and sock gear. Strong Minds will give athletes tools to actively identify and use health and emotional wellness practices that work best for them.
The public is encouraged to attend the events to cheer on athletes as they compete. Schedules and venues can be found here.
Registration is also open for Young Athletes, a program for children ages 3 to 10 with and without disabilities. More information can be found here.
Members of the community are encouraged to volunteer to support State Fall Games. Opportunities include monitoring events, scorekeeping, timekeeping, sports skills, merchandise sales, health screenings, Young Athletes, and more. Click here to find a volunteer opportunity.