Special Olympics Spring Games opening ceremonies held at Soldier Field: 'All you see are smiles'

Roars and cheers came from the stands and blaring music rattled the bleachers as over 2,000 spectators, volunteers and athletes competing in the Illinois Spring Special Olympics gathered for the opening ceremonies Friday morning at Soldier Field.

The 56th Annual Special Olympics Spring Games are May 6-10 at Dunbar Park, 300 E. 31st St.

"It gets our kids active and gives them an opportunity to let them shine," said Barb Shimoda, a parent of one of nearly 3,000 competing athletes. "Look around, all you see are smiles."

Athletes will compete in the running long jump, high jump, pentathlon, various meter races and other events. Gold medal winners are eligible to advance to the state championship at the summer games next month in Normal.

"It's gotten so much bigger," said Lisa Wisniewski, who has coached for the Mount Greenwood Park program for 26 years. "The interest and involvement of people coming out and volunteering and the excitement level with all of the participants, it's just gotten so big."

A thousand athletes gathered for the first Special Olympics event at Solider Field on July 20, 1968, to compete in over 200 events to "put a bright and very public spotlight on ability, not disability," according to the Special Olympics official website.

After that event, Special Olympics programs formed across the U.S. and Canada. Today, more than 5 million athletes representing 172 nations train and compete in over 100,000 events each year, the organization said.

Michael Rudd and Joe Moran, both representing Mount Greenwood Park, have competed at the Special Olympics for over a decade and want to win gold medals so they can compete at the summer games.

Rudd competes in the standing long jump. Moran does the running long jump.

"[The games] are very important," the pair told the Sun-Times. "It feels very great [to be able to connect with others through the games.]"

Wisniewski said athletes like Rudd and Moran who she works with are "basically like family."

"If a family member or somebody passes away, you're always there to support them," Wisniewski said. "It's just like your little family."

Kenneth Ogden, 29, met his best friend through the Special Olympics and uses the games as an opportunity to improve.

"I get to be out there and I get to have fun," said Ogden, representing Vittum Park. "I get to exercise and get stronger."

Chicago Public Schools students in the stands batted around giant beach balls while others clapped and danced to Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off."

Josh Long, chief of the Office of Diverse Learner Support and Services, said he intends to increase CPS' presence at the games to "try and get as many students involved as possible."

"It's a day of just unity and solidarity and being together, and it's a wonderful way to kick off the events," Long said. "[The games] are something [students] can be part of for their entire life here in Chicago."