Gaming for Inclusion event brings together Special Olympics athletes for esports fun and competition

Last weekend, Gaming for Inclusion’s inaugural eSports experience came to an exciting finale. A partnership between Special Olympics and Microsoft, the purpose of this multi-day virtual esports tournament was to showcase the power of inclusion through gaming and connecting people of all levels across the United States. The event brought together more than 90 Special Olympics athletes from 16 states for an action-packed week of esports competition in Forza Motorsport 7, Madden NFL 22, and Rocket league.

“Gaming for Inclusion was an incredible success this past weekend. We are very proud of our Special Olympics athletes who trained hard for this time to compete and play alongside our famous ambassadors, ”said Prianka Nandy, Special Olympics Director of Information and Technology. “We were impressed by everyone’s passion and commitment to good sportsmanship within the virtual competitive gaming space.”

Over the weekend, more than 550,000 spectators watched the competitors fight. At Rocket league tournament, Jackie Nash, Isaac Myers, Billy Seide and Evan Pikscher were crowned champions of the arena, while Chris Santacroce and Colton Rice burned the track to take home gold in Forza Motorsport 7. Finally, the Madden NFL 22 The trophy was lifted by Tommy Crocco after leaving everything on the field to claim victory.

Of course, there was a lot more at stake here than just wins and losses. Creating an environment in which Special Olympics athletes and their Unified partners (athletes without intellectual disabilities) could have fun through friendly competition was paramount. This event was the perfect opportunity to bring people together through the power of games and forge friendships that would last longer than a weekend.

“It is clear that games and esports are a valuable way to connect with others, compete and have fun. Many athletes will be leaving the tournament with new friends and we hope to bring this experience to more people in the future, ”said Jenn Panattoni, Xbox Director of Social Impact. “We believe that games are for everyone, and the Gaming for Inclusion tournament is a step forward in making esports more accessible and welcoming for all gamers.”

An example of the unifying power of esports is the friendship between Stephanie Lopez, 16, of Chicago Ridge, Illinois, and Reese Smith, 17, of Bartonville, Illinois. Stephanie was one of the first of four athletes to participate in Illinois esports competition, while Reese has been participating as a unified partner in the Special Olympics Illinois esports program for over a year and was one of the first unified partners in competing in an in-person Special Olympics Illinois esports tournament.

Stephanie and Reese are passionate about the Special Olympics esports program, where they share their love of games and connect with people of all abilities in a virtual setting. “It gives me something to look forward to every day after school, like being able to join our Discord server and have a lot of people to challenge in fun games,” Stephanie said. “It fills my day with fun!”

Stephanie’s experience as a Special Olympics esports pioneer has also helped her become a leader in her school and in her community, serving on the Youth Activation Committee for Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools.

Meanwhile, Reese is so committed to Special Olympics esports that the only night he asks off work is Wednesday night so he can participate in Special Olympics Illinois game night. He feels competitive gaming is becoming more accessible and has high hopes for the future of accessible gaming.. “I think different websites are starting to make it easier to sign up to play,” Reese said. “I hope that one day it will be easy enough that everyone can play.”

In the game for inclusion Rocket league Last weekend, Stephanie was paired with Patrick McDonald, Microsoft’s senior program manager. Patrick and Stephanie had the opportunity to meet outside of the tournament, as Patrick and his wife extended an invitation to Stephanie and her family to join them at a professional wrestling event so they could connect and have fun together prior to the event. tournament. Special Olympics and Microsoft hope to bring people of all abilities together through gaming, and Stephanie and Patrick’s story shows us how people of all abilities are already gaining a lot from the connections they build through esports.

Above all, Patrick was impressed by the hard work and dedication Stephanie put into being in a position to win. “Stephanie is definitely a firecracker,” he said. “He lives to compete and he trains and practices to improve. During our time playing, Stephanie moved up a couple of ranks in the competition and the work she put in to get there shows. “

Events like Gaming for Inclusion and competitors like Stephanie show that everyone has a burning desire to compete and have fun. Games are for everyone, and Microsoft is committed to creating accessible gaming experiences to empower people of all abilities to compete. “We are delighted with the results of the inaugural Gaming for Inclusion tournament. The competition was fierce, but so was the teamwork between the Special Olympics athletes and their Unified partners, ”said Panattoni. “When we partnered with Special Olympics, our goals for the tournament were to show the power of inclusion and give Special Olympics athletes a new way to compete.”

The partnership between Microsoft and Special Olympics began in 2014 and the success of the inaugural Gaming for Inclusion event is not only proof that our relationship is stronger than ever, but that there will be many more opportunities in the future. “I want to personally extend my gratitude to the Microsoft and Xbox teams and their volunteers who helped make this event possible,” said Nandy. “Through this experience, we were able to engage athletes and help them forge new friendships while showing the world what people with intellectual disabilities are capable of, on and off the field.”