Twenty Special Olympics Arizona (SOAZ) athletes and two coaches have been selected to be a part of Team USA at the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games. Team USA will be made up of 339 athletes from around the country and they will join nearly 3,000 other Special Olympics athletes from 85 countries as they compete in seven Olympic-type sports: Alpine Skiing, cross-country skiing, figure skating, floor hockey, snowboarding, snowshoeing and speed skating. Competitions will be held in the spectacular mountains of Boise, Tamarack Resort and Sun Valley, Idaho, the 2009 World Games is expected to be the largest World Winter Games in the history of the movement.

Athletes representing Arizona:

SOAZ is also proud to announce that the Unified Floor Hockey team, from Coconino County, will be the only Unified Floor Hockey team that will be representing Team USA at this competition.

The cost to send each athlete to the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games is $2,300.  Competitors are never asked to cover their own costs. If you are interested in making a donation to Special Olympics Arizona to help support the athletes attending this international competition, please contact Mark Weiss at (602) 230-1200 or MarkW@soaz.org.

Click here for more information about the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games.

Information about the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games is now available.  Click here for more information.