Special Olympics Pennsylvania (SOPA) will hold its 55th Annual Summer Games, presented by Sheetz, at Penn State University in State College, from Thursday through Saturday.

Summer Games is the largest statewide competition bringing more than 2,000 athletes and 800 coaches from across the state to compete in six sports, aquatics, basketball, equestrian, gymnastics, tennis and track and field.

Weeks of hard work and dedication in training will be rewarded as athletes are cheered on and supported during this three-day competition by hundreds of enthusiastic volunteers.

Team Lycoming Special Olympics will be represented by 14 athletes and 12 coaches and volunteers. Competing in aquatics will be athletes Jacob Carey, Andrew Dietrick, Nicholas Johnson, Kyle Powell, Irina Prohidney and James Steintuck. Lycoming County athletes participating in track and field will be Kevin Boyles, Sean Brink, Richie Dibble, Byron Keith Diemer, Anthony Fischetti, Sean Holloman, Brendan Rooker and Paul Smith.

To host a successful Summer Games, SOPA is inviting local community members to come out and volunteer. Volunteers are needed to serve in sports specific roles including scorekeepers, runners, timers, lane monitors, announcers, judges and more.

Most volunteer shifts are three to four hours long and you can choose to volunteer for one or multiple days. Visit www.SpecialOlympicsPA.org to register to volunteer.

The 2025 Summer Games will also serve as preparation and vital training for athletes competing in the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minneapolis, where 91 athletes and Unified Partners and 25 coaches will represent Team PA next June. SOPA is eager to support Team PA athletes and representatives and would love to promote these achievements to the local community.

Summer Games will kick off with preliminary competitions on Thursday followed by the traditional fanfare of Opening Ceremonies at Medlar Field beginning at 7:15 p.m. This year’s Opening Ceremony will be held in partnership with the State College Spikes.

Upon their arrival, athletes will be treated to ice cream and action sports demo by professional athletes.

The Opening Ceremonies will end with the lighting of the Olympic Torch Cauldron by the Flame of Hope, carried by participants of the 14th annual Torch Run. The Torch Run is a three-day, 150 mile run from Pittsburgh to State College. More than 500 members of law enforcement representing over 50 teams from across the state carried the torch from home plate at PNC Park to Medlar Field in State College.

In addition to competition, athletes will be treated to SOPA’s Healthy Athletes program. Athletes will be provided the opportunity to receive health screening in physical therapy, vision, audiology, dental and podiatry. This program has now made Special Olympics the largest public health organization for people with intellectual disabilities in the world.

On Friday competition will begin at 8 a.m. at six venues in individual skills, individual events, relays and team events. The day will conclude with Sports Fest and a Victory Dance which will feature a DJ, dancing, field games and other activities. Final competitions and awards are scheduled at each venue between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.

This year marks the 55th year that Penn State University will host Summer Games, and the 31st year that Sheetz, Inc, will serve as a state-wide corporate sponsor. Other sponsors include The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Knights of Columbus.