Fall Competition Opens This Weekend with Softball and Golf

Special Olympics Indiana kicks off its fall competition schedule this weekend in Greenwood with a pair of state championships. Softball is Saturday, Sept. 7, at Center Grove Lassie League. Golf is Sunday, Sept. 8, at Hickory Stick Golf Club.

The two-day event was renamed this year as Erskine Championship Weekend in honor of former Major League Baseball pitcher Carl Erskine and his son, Jimmy, a Special Olympics athlete who was born with Down syndrome. Jimmy died in December, and Carl died in April, leaving behind a legacy of joy and inclusion that was captured in their mutual love of these sports.

“We are looking forward to what will be another spectacular weekend of competition,” Special Olympics Indiana President and CEO Jeff Mohler said. “Thank you to the Erskine family for lending their name to the celebration. Carl and Jimmy were part of Special Olympics for more than 50 years, and we miss them both dearly.”

The softball competition is 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Golf begins at 9 a.m. with individual skills competition along with 3-, 6- and 9-hole individual tournaments. A 9-hole Unified partner tournament starts at 1:30 p.m.

More than 2,700 athletes and Unified partners will take part in the eight championship tournaments this fall. Six other fall sports wrap up their seasons as well in the coming weeks, including:

• Equestrian, Sept. 27-28 at Hendricks County 4H Fairgrounds.
• Flag football and distance run/walk, Sept. 29 at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School.
• Soccer and cornhole, Sept. 29 at Grand Park in Westfield.
• Unified volleyball, Oct. 19 at Munciana Volleyball Facility in Yorktown.

Admission to all events is free.