Softball

Twelve delegations in total will soon march into Devon Park, signaling the start of the parade of athletes.

It’s a humid sunny day in Oklahoma City at Devon Park. The sun shines from the northwest corner of OGE Energy Field, with shade covering a part of the third baseline.

Imagine lining up in front of 30,000 fans in Cessna Stadium to run a 15-second race. Most people who’ve grown up playing sports will never have the chance to experience anything like that.

It is an overcast sky in the middle of September as the leaves break away from the trees, signaling the changing of seasons.

On a crisp and chilly Saturday morning at Peaks View Park in Lynchburg, Virginia, Special Olympics softball teams from across the United States and Canada joined together for the 2023 Special Olympics North America Softball Championship. Teams, both traditional and Unified, started in a round-robin format.

The Lasalle-Windsor Stingers dugout was filled with raucous energy as the lanky Matthew Cormier made his way to the batter’s box. His teammates cheered, clapped, and stomped to encourage Cormier as he prepared for his turn at bat. Chants of "let's go Matt!" filled the air. It had the atmosphere of a tightly contested game where everything was on the line.

With excitement in his voice, Collins Clingman talks about his lifelong passion for the Green Bay Packers and Iowa Hawkeye football. The Ottumwa, Iowa, native also says he’s a season ticket holder for the local community college’s basketball team. He loves to watch games with his brother-in-law, and for more than 25 years, he’s participated in athletics, softball and bowling for Special Olympics Iowa. There’s no denying it: Clingman is in his element whenever sports are involved.

Haylie McCleney joined the Inclusion Revolution Radio podcast to talk about their partnership with Special Olympics and give advice to young athletes.

After the Unified team from Florida won, Bob Rall and Tonya Snodgrass took off their shoes and laid them on home plate. Learn why.