Wood County Special Olympics athletes and coaches are excited to announce the 1^st Annual Wood County Special Olympics Youth Field Day on Saturday, May 18, 2024 from Noon to 2PM. The field day will take place at Wood County Board of Developmental Disabilities Campus located at, 1921 E. Gypsy Lane Road in Bowling Green.

Participating in Special Olympics goes beyond training and competing. It is an opportunity to discover new strengths and abilities, enhance physical fitness and self-confidence, and make new friends along the way! The Youth Field Day is for children between the ages of 8 and 13 with a diagnosed intellectual/developmental disability. Our goal is for the children to come and see what Special Olympics in Wood County is all about in hopes to show the amazing opportunities available in the program.

This event is open to 50 children at NO COST. The deadline to register is April 22^nd. All registered children will receive a FREE T-shirt and fun give-a-ways! There are two ways to register:

1.      Visit our website at https://www.woodcountydd.org/special-olympics.

2.      Follow us on Facebook at Wood County Special Olympics where the registration link and information is provided.

The Youth Field Day will allow children the opportunity to participate in several sport stations including basketball, bocce, flag football, and track and field. Each station will be instructed by Wood County Special Olympics coaches and athletes. Snacks will be provided as well as a water station.

Josie Mazza, Special Olympics Coach and Recreation/Wellness Specialist is excited for this event! “Our goal in hosting this event is to reach young athletes interested in Special Olympics and offer the opportunity to learn from our very own Wood County Special Olympic Wildcats that have competed all over Ohio and even national games in Florida! We are hoping to grow our young athletes’ program in Wood County and continue the amazing sportsmanship, memories, and friendships that are developed through participating in Special Olympics.”

Jen Krouse, Wood County Special Olympics Local Coordinator and Recreation/Wellness Manager, says this is an event she has been looking forward to for quite some time. “We are hosting our first ever Wood County Special Olympics Youth Field Day! This event is a fun and interactive way for youth to participate in several different sports and hear directly from current participating Special Olympics athletes on their personal experience. We have been looking forward to this event for some time and are so excited to interact with the youth in our community in hopes of getting them involved in Wood County Special Olympics!”

If you have questions concerning the event, please contact Josie Mazza at 419-419-7911. You may also email specialolympics@woodcountydd.org.

We hope to see you at the 1^st Annual Wood County Special Olympics Field Day on May 18^th!