CULVER CITY, Calif., Oct. 20, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Over 2,000 athletes, coaches and volunteers from 11 counties are participating in the Special Olympics Southern California 2004 Fall Games at California State University, Fullerton Saturday, October 23. This is the second year for the Fall Games - a combination of the previous Sports Classic I & II events. "We are thrilled to once again bring our event to Fullerton, the community has welcomed us with open arms," said Bill Fields, Asst. Vice President of Sports & Training, SOSC.
After training and competing throughout the year, these inspirational athletes will reach the pinnacle of their achievements. "These athletes are all commendable for the hard work and dedication they put into their training and practice," said Bob Gobrecht, President & CEO, SOSC. "Many of our athletes train weekends, if not daily, and have proven to be tough competitors in a series of events throughout the year. The Fall Games give Southern California the opportunity to see these athletes shine."
The opening ceremony will be held on Saturday, Oct. 23 at 8:00 a.m. in Sports Expo Park on the campus of Cal State Fullerton. This ceremony will include a colorful parade of athletes, the police color guard and lots of exciting entertainment.
Throughout the day, athletes will compete in Bowling, Cycling, Powerlifting, Roller Skating, Soccer, Softball and Volleyball. Medal ceremonies will take place at the competition venues.
In addition to watching the competitions, spectators are invited to explore the Sports Expo Park. Here they will find a community fair atmosphere with continuous live entertainment, dancing, sports demos, sports clinics, interactive games and food booths. All events are free and open to the public.
Special Olympics Southern California serves over 11,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities in an eleven-county region of Southern California. The program offers sports training and competition in 23 individual and team sports on a year-round basis. Athletes range in age from eight to eighty. SOSC is one of 52 accredited Special Olympics entities operating in the United States. For more information about about Special Olympics Southern California, please visit www.sosc.org.