Special Olympics Athletes to Compete in the NIRSA National Flag Football Championships Held in Round Rock

School to Compete in the NIRSA National Flag Football Championships held in Round Rock, Texas

event takes place Jan. 6-8

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE : January 06, 2023

Round Rock, TX – January 6th –

Special Olympics Texas athletes and Unified partners will compete in the upcoming Unified Sports division during the annual NIRSA National Flag Football Championships in Round Rock, Texas. The Unified Sports division was introduced to the NIRSA Championship Series in 2011, leading to a partnership with Special Olympics in 2016. This is the second year NIRSA is excitedly offering a Unified division at the National Flag Football Championships.

Special Olympics Unified Sports® brings together teammates with intellectual disabilities (ID), or Special Olympics athletes, and teammates without intellectual disabilities, Unified partners, that train and play together and is an integral part of Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools®. The strategy creates sports, leadership, and whole school engagement opportunities for students with and without ID. During the 2020-2021 school year alone, 2.1 million Unified Sports experiences occurred at Unified Champion Schools throughout the nation.

In partnership with NIRSA: Leaders in Collegiate Recreation, hundreds of colleges are providing Special Olympics Unified Sports intramural leagues on campus. These leagues are inspired by a simple principle: training, playing, and competing together is a quick path to friendship, understanding, and meaningful inclusion. On these campuses, Unified Sports teams are made up of people of similar age and ability, making games more competitive, exciting, and fun for all. Special Olympics Unified Sports intramural leagues welcome Special Olympics athletes, whether students or from the community, and student Unified partners at any level of skill or experience.

To learn more about the NIRSA National Flag Football Championships, visit https://play.nirsa.net/flag-football/championships/

To get involved or learn about Special Olympics college programming nationally, contact Unified Champion Schools University Engagement Manager, Scott George at SGeorge@SpecialOlympics.org. To discover more about Special Olympics Program Name, visit website and follow the organization on
social accounts.
Scott George
SGeorge@SpecialOlympics.org

About Special Olympics Texas
Special Olympics Texas (SOTX) is a privately funded non-profit organization that changes lives through the power of sport by encouraging and empowering people with intellectual disabilities, promoting acceptance for all, and fostering communities of understanding and respect.  SOTX provides continuing opportunities for more than 58,800 children and adults with intellectual disabilities throughout the Lone Star State to realize their potential, develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage and experience joy and friendship.  To learn more, visit www.specialolympicstexas.org or call 800.876.5646.  Engage with us on: Twitter @SOTexas; fb.com/SpecialOlympicsTX; youtube.com/specialolympicstexas.