Frankfort, Ky. – A Marshall County Special Olympics flag football team has been selected to represent the state as part of Team Kentucky at the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games next June in Orlando, Fla. Eight players and two coaches will make the trip to the Games. All will be competing in the USA Games for the first time. In fact, they will be the first athletes and coaches from Marshall County ever to compete at the Games.
Edward Burkeen, 28, of Benton has been a Special Olympics athlete for 15 years and has been part of the Marshall County football team for two. He has also participated in basketball, bowling, golf and track and field.
Chris Capone, 35, of Benton has been in Special Olympics for six years. He has competed in basketball, bowling and track and field in addition to flag football. He works at J.U. Kevil.
James Davio, 29, of Calvert City has been a Special Olympics athlete for 8 years and has competed in flag football for one. He has also participated in basketball, track and field and bowling.
Jacob Dunn, 21, of Dexter has competed in Special Olympics for five years. His first year of flag football came in 2019. He also participates in basketball, golf and track and field. He works for Ronnie Baldwin Masonry.
Travis Hicks, 30, of Gilbertsville has been in the program for 10 years, but is also new to flag football, having started in 2019. He also has competed in basketball, bowling, golf and track and field.
Brothers Aaron, Hunter and Ryan Morrison of Dexter round out the team.
Aaron, 25, has been in the Special Olympics program for eight years and began playing flag football in 2017. He has also competed in basketball, bowling, golf, soccer and track and field.
Hunter, 20, is in his ninth year competing in Special Olympics and started playing flag football in 2017. In addition, he has participated in basketball, bowling, golf, soccer and track and field. He works at Murray State University.
Ryan, 27, has also been in Special Olympics for nine years, competing in basketball, bowling, golf, soccer and track and field in addition to flag football. He is in his second year with the flag football team. He works at Murray State University.
Randy Dunn of Dexter will be the flag football team assistant coach. He has coached Special Olympics athletes for three years, coaching golf in addition to flag football. He has also competed as a Unified partner in golf for seven years. His coaching experience outside Special Olympics includes baseball and softball. He is the father of Jacob Dunn.
Jonny Byrd of Hardin will serve as the team’s head coach. He has coached Special Olympics athletes for 11 years, including three coaching flag football teams. He has also coached basketball teams both in and out of Special Olympics. In addition, he has coached football in Washington County. He works at Gordon Food Service.
“We’re excited to once again have the opportunity to send athletes and coaches to the USA Games,” said Special Olympics Kentucky President and CEO Trish Mazzoni. “Being selected to Team Kentucky for the Games is not only a tremendous honor for our athletes, but it offers a great opportunity for personal growth. We have seen many of our athletes be transformed by this experience at the previous four USA Games that have been held. Plus, with these Games being held largely at Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex, it will be a one-of-a-kind environment and a chance to compete in world-class facilities.”
Special Olympics Kentucky will send 34 athletes, seven Unified partners and 16 coaches to the Games. They will compete in eight sports – artistic gymnastics, bocce, bowling, flag football, golf, swimming, track and field and Unified basketball. The total cost of sending Team Kentucky to the 2022 USA Games is expected to approach $100,000.
For information about how you can help sponsor the team or to donate, contact Trish Mazzoni at 502-695-8222 or tmazzoni@soky.org.
For more information about Team Kentucky or about the USA Games, contact Special Olympics Kentucky Director of Communications and External Relations Mark Buerger at 502-695-8222 or mbuerger@soky.org.
The 2022 USA Games are the fifth such games in Special Olympics history. Past USA Games were held in 2006 in Ames, Iowa; 2010 in Lincoln, Neb.; in 2014 in New Jersey; and in 2018 in Seattle, Wash.
The 2022 Special Olympics USA Games, scheduled for June 5-12, 2022, in Orlando, Florida, will unite more than 5,500 athletes and coaches from all 50 states and the Caribbean during one of the country’s most cherished sporting events–the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games. The USA Games will offer 19 Olympic-style team and individual sports, including athletics (track & field), basketball, bocce, bowling, cheerleading, equestrian, flag football, golf, gymnastics, open water swimming, powerlifting, soccer, softball, stand up paddleboard, surfing, swimming, tennis, triathlon and volleyball.
Special Olympics is the world’s largest program of sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Participation in competitive events is open to all individuals eight years of age or older. Training and competition in local, area, state, and national programs is offered year-round in Kentucky in 15 sports. In addition to its traditional sports competitions, Special Olympics also offers early childhood programming through the Young Athletes Program and medical screenings though the Healthy Athletes Initiative. Special Olympics Kentucky began as a one-day event in Louisville in 1970 and has expanded to serve more than 11,300 athletes statewide annually. Special Olympics celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the global movement in 2018.