The Iowa Summer Special Olympic Games will take place this weekend at Iowa State and will feature more than 2,500 participants.

Chuck Reed, director of marketing for Iowa Special Olympics, said this year’s games are very important because next year the first-ever national Special Olympics will be taking place in Ames, and there will be many people coming to this year’s games to see how the events are run.

“They want to look at Hilton and Jack Trice Stadium,” Reed said. “Closing ceremonies will be at Jack Trice next year, and they want to see how that looks.”

Reed said the world games used to be held in the United States, but in 2003, they were moved to Dublin, Ireland. He said when the games went overseas, fewer athletes from the United States were able to participate. With the 2007 world games taking place in Shanghai, China, he said it was likely even fewer athletes could go than in 2003. Reed said the national games were created so there would be an event where more athletes could participate.

Ames was chosen to host the national games because of the location and facilities, Reed said.

“It’s centrally located for most of the country,” he said. “The facilities here are also excellent.”

The national games will take place in Ames on July 3-8, 2006.

Many facilities on the ISU campus will be used in the games.

The athletes are staying in the residence halls, the opening and closing ceremonies will take place in Hilton Coliseum, the intramural fields by Maple-Willow-Larch are being used for soccer, and tennis is being played on the courts next to Forker. Roller skating will be taking place outside Ames at Skate North in Des Moines.

Pam Wagner, vice-president of Games and Competition, said opening ceremonies will begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Hilton Coliseum, and the event is open to the public.

Reed said men’s basketball coach Wayne Morgan will kicking off the games at the opening ceremonies. Morgan has just gotten out of the hospital for corrective throat surgery, however, and is not sure if he will be able to attend, Reed said. He still expects Morgan to attend, but if he is unable, one of the men’s basketball players will go in his place.

ISU President Gregory Geoffroy and Vice-President of Student Affairs Thomas Hill are also expected to attend the opening ceremonies to greet the athletes.

Country-western performer Joey Holiday will be in attendance this weekend as well, Wagner said. Holiday travels around the country in an 18-wheel truck performing regular concerts as well as goodwill concerts like this.

The Special Olympics are both an enjoyable time for the athletes, their parents and the coaches.

Dave Layton, who coaches power and strength training at the mid-winter games, enjoys his time spent working with the athletes.

“They’re all heart,” Layton said. “When someone gives it their all, it makes me feel like it’s worth it.”

The Iowa Summer Special Olympic Games begin Thursday with the opening ceremonies and will continue through Saturday.