Broken Arrow Special Olympics athletes head to Stillwater for Summer Games

BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — Dozens of students lined up to cheer on Broken Arrow’s Special Olympic athletes as they left for the Summer Games.

“I think I’m gonna win and have fun,” said Cooper Manuel, a ninth grade athlete.

Manuel is competing in the special Olympics summer games for the first time. He’s competing in power lifting.

“It got difficult but I hanged in there," he said. “'What’s the hardest part?' Squats that’s the hardest part.”

Dallon franklin is a 10th-grader who helped coach Cooper in powerlifting. He said he’s definitely getting involved in special Olympics again.

“I think it’s really fun but I find it good for me helping coach them. I think it’s fun being around the team seeing them progress through the year, getting stronger,” said Franklin.

This week more than 4,000 athletes are competing at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. This is the largest special Olympics summer games in the country.

“We’re excited, everybody's ready, most of us are awake,” said Christina Gould, the head coach.

Gould explained why these games are so important to the kids.

“So inclusion is important, this is where our students can feel part of a team. They put on a uniform, they feel like they are everything and for some of them it’s the best days of their life,” said Gould.

The kids have been practicing these sports since January.

They left Wednesday morning with an escort to the Creek Turnpike by Broken Arrow Police and Fire. The competition goes through Friday.