Special Olympics athletes from all over Miami-Dade County learned to play softball, basketball, soccer and other sports at a series of camps hosted by Gulliver Schools.

Special Olympics athletes of various ages participated in camp activities over the past three months.

“The Special Olympics program is a wonderful and rewarding experience for these athletes,” says Mark Schusterman, Preparatory athletic director. “These athletes work as hard as any I have ever coached. They truly love playing sports.”

Special Olympics of Miami-Dade County provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for youngsters who are eight years of age and older with intellectual disabilities.

These programs provide the athletes continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience teamwork, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community.

“Training support from Gulliver Schools greatly improved the sports skills and competition preparation for our athletes,” said Executive Director of Special Olympics Miami-Dade County, Mark Thompson. “More importantly, new friendships developed quickly between Gulliver Schools’ athletes and Special Olympics’ athletes. It was a very positive experience for all.”