Vermont Systems presents the 2017 Special Olympics Vermont Fall Games September 23-24 at South Burlington High School, Dorset Park, and the Burlington Country Club. Nearly 400 athletes and Unified partners will compete in Athletics (track and field), golf, soccer, and softball.
“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Special Olympics Vermont,” says Giles Willey, President of Vermont Systems. “Our staff looks forward to the opportunity to volunteer and connect with athletes at the Games each year. As a soccer coach with the Special Olympics Vermont Chittenden program and a parent of an athlete, I know firsthand how valuable the opportunity to train and compete in any sport is for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.”
For 2017, Special Olympics Vermont is has reorganized its sports seasons in order to provide more high-quality sports training and competition opportunities to more athletes. The thirteen Olympic-type sports offered are now organized into four distinct sports seasons: Winter, Summer, Fall, and Holiday Games. For all statewide competitions, teams travel from thirteen Vermont county for the opportunity to compete in a statewide tournament against the best athletes in each division.
The weekend begins on Saturday, September 23 with the Opening Ceremony at the South Burlington High School track followed by preliminary competition. Athletes will also have access to free health screenings in two disciplines: FunFitness (physical therapy) and Health Promotion (nutrition and wellness) thanks to a large team of local practitioners and students who volunteer their time and expertise. Competition continues on Sunday followed by the awards ceremony.
A large team of Vermont Systems volunteers will run the soccer and awards venues throughout the weekend. “Our partnership with Vermont Systems allows Special Olympics Vermont to offer a high-quality competition experience for our athletes,” says Justin Graham, Program Director for Special Olympics Vermont. “We love working with their staff to put on a memorable event.”
Additional volunteer opportunities for the 2017 Fall Games are listed on the Special Olympics Vermont website. For more information and to register, visit: