The Special Olympics Kentucky State Softball Tournament will return to Owensboro for a third consecutive year this September, bringing hundreds of athletes, coaches and family members to the city.
The tournament is scheduled for Sept. 11-13 at Jack C. Fisher Park and is expected to draw about 40 teams from across Kentucky, according to Kim Johnson, area director for Special Olympics Kentucky.
Johnson said approximately 700 athletes, coaches and family members are expected to visit Owensboro during the weekend.
“The hospitality of the city has been just excellent,” Johnson said. “The facilities, obviously, are top-notch at Jack Fisher. The combination of the Parks Department and Visit Owensboro has really worked with families, hotels, restaurants — all of those things have just been top-notch.”
She said the positive experience has helped convince Special Olympics Kentucky to continue bringing the tournament back to Owensboro.
“As a matter of fact, there really have not been any complaints, and that’s almost unheard of,” Johnson said.
Mark Calitri, president of Visit Owensboro, said the tournament has become one of the community’s most significant tourism weekends.
“This championship is one of the biggest weekends of the year for our hotels, restaurants and local businesses,” Calitri said. “Visit Owensboro is working closely with local planners to step up our game by moving the Saturday night dance party to the Owensboro Sportscenter so these athletes get a venue that feels big-league — the video boards, the lights, the sound system. All of it raises the experience. This community really steps up, and that’s the winning difference Owensboro brings.”
All tournament games will be played at Jack C. Fisher Park. In addition to the competition, organizers will host a MedFest at Cravens Elementary School, where athletes can receive free health screenings and connect with medical resources.
The event also provides an opportunity for the community to support local athletes. Johnson said the Owensboro area currently has seven softball teams participating in Special Olympics competition, although final state qualifiers will not be determined until the Region 1 Tournament on Aug. 1 in Paducah.
Teams must finish first or second in their division at regionals to qualify for the state tournament. Athletes whose teams do not advance can still compete in a softball skills competition.
Special Olympics divisions are based on athletes’ skill levels, allowing teams of similar abilities to compete against one another.
Johnson said local support has become one of the tournament’s defining features.
“Last year you could see where Owensboro was because you couldn’t get a chair,” she said. “You couldn’t find a spot on the bleachers because there were so many local people there.”
She said the local program includes about 100 softball athletes, giving many participants the chance to compete in front of family members, friends and coworkers.
“The best part of Special Olympics is the community that it provides for our athletes,” Johnson said. “Our entire community has an opportunity to come and support athletes at the state tournament.”
Special Olympics Kentucky has also praised Owensboro’s volunteer support, Johnson said, noting that organizers have consistently found enough officials, scorekeepers and event volunteers.
Visit Owensboro is partnering with the event to host a celebration dance at the Owensboro Sportscenter. The dance was moved there this year because the tournament coincides with the Owensboro Air Show weekend.
Johnson said hosting statewide events has also helped grow the local Special Olympics program by introducing new athletes and families to the organization.
“We’ve really had an increase of school-age participants,” she said. “We’re always excited when we can continue to grow because we feel like our program is so valuable for individuals with intellectual disabilities.”
The state tournament follows regional qualifying events held throughout Kentucky during August, with winning teams advancing to compete for state championships in Owensboro.
