Los Angeles Ready For The Special Olympics World Games

There are 7,000 athletes and 3,000 coaches from 177 different countries that have made the journey to Southern California to participate in the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles.

More from LA Sports Hub

• Lakers: 5 Players to Target Through Trades to make another championship run
• LA Chargers: Week 8 against Denver Broncos is a must-win
• LA Rams: Jared Goff wants to keep the Los Angeles title streak going
• Lakers Rumors: Los Angeles Clippers interested in Rajon Rondo
• LA Chargers: Justin Herbert wins AFC Rookie of the Month

In a span of 9 days across 27 different venues which include the campuses of USC and UCLA, there will be competition in 25 sporting events.  Everything from basketball and soccer to sailing and badminton.  This is the Special Olympics in a global event.  For the first time since 1972, Los Angeles is playing host to this spectacular event!

Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of former President John F. Kennedy was the founder of Camp Shriver which was created and later lead to the development of the Special Olympics in 1968.

Live Feed

DBLTAP

“Eunice Kennedy Shriver was the woman who took action in the early 1950’s and 60’s.  A woman who felt that children with intellectual disabilities didn’t have a place to play.  She simply took action and held a summer day camp for young people with intellectual disabilities in her own backyard, later becoming Camp Shriver.  The goal was to watch what these children could do in sports and activities and not dwell on what they could not do.” Information courtesy of specialolympics.org

She helped the children with intellectual disabilities and throughout this journey for the athletes, coaches, friends and family, towns all over Southern California have helped make this event that much more spectacular.  “Host Towns” have participated to be the hosts to the athletes from around the world, giving them welcome parties, having special events for all involved and making sure that the athletes recognize how great of an event they are participating in.

These are some of the tweets and retweets from @LA2015  :

And of course @LA2015 getting love from Google for this world event :

A global event for the athletes and their families, the quote directly from LA2015.org, provides exactly what will be shared in the days of the event.  “By living out their dreams in front of the world, they will open hearts and minds, and expand our collective sense of acceptance and inclusion….they will show the world incredible courage, unwavering determination, and sheer joy.”

Our very own Pablo Jacobo, Co-Editor of LA Sports Hub caught up with Director of Community Relations/Fan Development McCall Hall for a few minutes to let everyone know about the Special Olympics World Games here in Los Angeles.

This is the Special Olympics mission statement :

"“The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.”"

The opening ceremony is Saturday at the L.A Memorial Coliseum where thousands will be in attendance and millions will be watching worldwide – ESPN will broadcast the competition.  I can’t wait to see what the athletes can not only show us but what they can teach us about being human.

Please share you social media hashtags so we can all enjoy the games together! #LA2015 #ReachUpLA