More than 1,000 Special Olympics Rhode Island athletes from across the state will experience the thrill of competition, the joy of inclusion, and the power of community at the 2025 State Summer Games, taking place Friday, May 30 through Sunday, June 1. This signature three-day event – Special Olympics Rhode Island’s largest sporting event of the year – will be held at the University of Rhode Island’s Kingston campus Friday, May 30 and Saturday, May 31; and St. George’s School in Middletown on Sunday, June 1. Athletes will compete in a variety of sports including bowling, powerlifting, soccer skills, Unified soccer, track & field, and swimming.

The excitement begins with the Opening Ceremony on Friday, May 30 at Meade Stadium at URI. Thirty-six teams will march into the stadium during the Parade of Athletes. The highlight is the arrival of the “Flame of Hope” carried by law enforcement officers in the Torch Run Final Leg, and the official lighting of the Special Olympics Cauldron to mark the start of the Games.

Bristol is represented by two teams: the Bristol County Baysiders and the Bristol Warren Huskies. Kyle Marshall of Bristol, a member of the Baysiders, is an avid swimmer who was one of 3 athletes chosen to appear on the event’s TV spot promoting the games, appearing regularly on channel 12 and some Cox programming. The ad opens with Marshall triumphantly exclaiming “I’m competing in swimming, and closes with him saying “See you at the Summer Games!”

“It was good,” said Marshall of the experience filming the spot. A swimmer since 1988, Marshall competes in both freestyle and backstroke, and practices every week in the months leading up to the event. A well-rounded athlete, he also enjoys duckpin bowling, bocce, and softball.

Marshall’s coach is his nephew Geno Zimmerman, a longtime volunteer with both the Special Olympics and the James L. Maher Center, a Middletown-based nonprofit agency that supports individuals with intellectual developmental disabilities and their families. Zimmerman has been volunteering with the Special Olympics for 24 years — since he was 11 years old. “I enjoy being his coach,” Zimmerman said. “It gives me more time with him.”

“Summer Games is more than just a sporting event – it’s a celebration of courage, perseverance, and the limitless potential of our athletes,” said Ed Pacheco, President and CEO of Special Olympics Rhode Island. “This is their moment to shine, to compete with heart, and to show the world what inclusion truly looks like. If you’ve never witnessed the energy and emotion of Summer Games, I invite you to join us. I promise, you’ll leave inspired and forever changed.

The Games are made possible by the dedication of more than 1,200 volunteers, including individuals, corporate teams, and members of Rhode Island law enforcement. Officers from the Law Enforcement Torch Run not only help raise awareness and funds for Special Olympics Rhode Island throughout the year, they also help create special moments for athletes by cheering them on from the sidelines and presenting medals at Summer Games. Their run with the Flame of Hope from the State House to the Opening Ceremony is a cherished tradition that symbolizes unity and support.

Besides the thrill of competition, the Summer Games experience also includes an Olympic Village featuring activities like coconut bowling, soccer darts, a dunk tank, and appearances by professional wrestlers from the Renegade Wrestling Alliance. The Healthy Athletes Wellness Village offers free health screenings in vision, hearing, dental care, and fitness, plus massage therapy for athletes; and the Athlete Business Showcase is a platform where athletes promote and sell items from their own businesses.

For more information on the Games, including a full schedule of competitions and events and a map of the venues and activities, visit specialolympicsri.org/summergames.