Special Olympians Holding Annual Soccer Matches In Owasso

Special Olympics soccer players are gearing up for a big day and tournament Wednesday.

Special Olympics Oklahoma is hosting its annual soccer matches at the Owasso Sports Complex.  As many as 15 teams are competing in the matches.

It's called a unified tournament where Special Olympic athletes are teamed up with mentors on the field.

Some players are kids, while others are adults.  And they play two 15 minute periods.

It's about more than winning or losing, organizers say the tournament helps form lasting friendships.

The games start Wednesday morning and the last game kicks off at 2:30 p.m.

Teams coming from as far as Idabel and Yukon, and as close and Jenks and Tahlequah.

A lot of volunteers make the tournament possible, including referees who are all volunteers.