MERIDIAN, Idaho — Special Olympics athletes are training for the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, scheduled to take place in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I caught up with Team Idaho during a flag football practice as they prepare to compete.
McKay Majors said representing Idaho is something he takes pride in.
“Personally, I think it’s a big honor to get to represent the State of Idaho and be here and get to practice with the coolest people I’ve ever played with.”
RELATED|From Idaho to the NFL: Special Olympics athletes’ designs go pro
Thirty-two athletes from across Idaho are preparing to represent the state at the Games. They’ll compete in sports like bocce, bowling, swimming, and flag football, while building confidence, teamwork, and skills along the way.
Sports Manager Braden Armin said the excitement goes beyond competition.
“The athletes are super excited to represent Idaho and not just the community of intellectually and developmentally disabled people, but the community and the state of Idaho as a whole.”
WATCH: Team Idaho athletes train through weekly flag football practices
Team Idaho Flag Football Athletes Train for 2026 Special Olympics USA Games
Behind every athlete are coaches and volunteers dedicating their time, energy, and heart. Through weekly practices and hands-on guidance, they help athletes succeed while keeping the game fun.
Special Olympics athlete Kevin Sullivan said flag football has always been a positive space for him.
“I’ve been in flag football since I was a little kid. Everybody’s super kind to us, and it’s really fun.”
RELATED|Idaho Special Olympics athletes to design NFL cleats for Colston Loveland
Flag football also teaches athletes accountability, resilience, and teamwork.
Armin said dedication shows up at every practice—no matter the weather.
“They practice every week. Extremely dedicated. It’s cold out here right now. That doesn’t matter to them. We’re working on getting better every day, providing a sense of team camaraderie and all that for all of our athletes.”
For first-time national competitors like McKay Majors, Special Olympics is about pride—both personal and statewide.
“I’m just looking forward to being with the team, getting that gold, being able to represent Idaho, and then being able to come back to Idaho, you know, showing off to Idaho that we’re number one.”
RELATED|Special Olympics athletes compete in the Southwest Regional Games in Meridian
Athletes said their success wouldn’t be possible without the coaches guiding them.
“I just want to say all thank you to the coaches. For letting me be part of Team Idaho,” said Kevin Sullivan.
“I’m pretty sure we couldn’t have done it without the coaches, you know, without their support and their help, we probably wouldn’t have come up with a big team like this,” said McKay Majors.
Organizers said all costs for the 2026 USA Games are covered through community support. Anyone interested in helping can visit SpecialOlympicsIdaho.org.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
