05/18/2026
May Newsletter
Cheyenne Special Olympics
Hello Everyone,
Congratulations to all our athletes on an outstanding performance at Summer State Games! We are incredibly proud of your hard work, dedication, and sportsmanship throughout the event. Thank you as well to everyone who supported our team and helped make the experience a success. While we encountered a few challenges along the way, it was still a fantastic and rewarding experience for all involved.
We are excited for the upcoming Special Olympics Summer classic season to begin. For those who are unaware summer classic offers softball, bowling, cycling, golf and bocce.
Registration & Mandatory meeting for ALL participating athletes
When: May 27, 2026
Where: Pride Park, 2816 E 7th St, Cheyenne, WY 82001 (where softball practice is held)
We have an important update regarding bowling participation. Due to space limitations at Fall Games, the state has informed us that teams will only be allowed to bring approximately half of their registered bowling athletes to the Fall Games competition. Last year, we had nearly 120 athletes participate in bowling, which means that if similar numbers register this season, only about half of those athletes would be able to attend Fall Games for bowling.
To help make participation fair and organized, athletes interested in bowling will be divided into two groups, Group A and Group B. These groups will be selected randomly and divided as evenly as possible. The groups will then alternate each year between participating in bowling at Special Olympics Summer Classic and Fall Games. For example, if Group A bowls at Summer Classic in 2026, they will participate in bowling at Fall Games in 2027.
Athletes who participate in bowling as well as other sports will still have the opportunity to choose which sport they would like to participate in each season. However, athletes will remain assigned to their designated bowling group and will not be permitted to switch between Group A and Group B.
For example, if an athlete is assigned to a group scheduled to bowl at Special Olympics Summer Classic, but they would prefer to participate in softball that season, they may choose to forgo bowling for 2026 and return to bowling during the Fall Games season in 2027. This system is designed to provide flexibility for multi-sport athletes while still maintaining a fair and organized rotation process for bowling participation.
Summer Sports Classic Practice Schedule
Practices for the summer season will begin the week of June 1, 2026, and will continue through the week of June 20, 2026. Practice schedules are as follows:
• Softball & Softball Skills
Beginning June 1, 2026
Mondays | 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
Pride Park (behind the VFW on Nationway)
• Golf
Beginning June 2, 2026
Tuesdays | 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Prairie View Golf Course
• Bocce Ball
Beginning June 4, 2026
Thursdays | 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
Mylar Park
• Cycling
Beginning June 4, 2026
Thursdays | 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Harvest Time Christian Fellowship
• Bowling
Bowling practices will be completed independently by the athletes.
Special Olympics State Games will take place July 31, 2026, through August 1, 2026.
Additionally, we would like to share an important update regarding fundraising expectations for all athletes. Due to the continued growth of our team, fundraising support is more important than ever. Beginning this year, each athlete will be expected to either participate in at least three fundraisers annually or personally raise a minimum of $150 per year. Athletes who do not meet one of these requirements will not be eligible to attend State competitions.
Our fundraising efforts directly support athlete registration fees, hotel accommodations, meals, and other team-related expenses throughout the season. We are incredibly grateful for those who consistently volunteer their time and effort; however, with more than 150 athletes on our team, we currently see many of the same few athletes participating in fundraising events. In order to continue providing opportunities for everyone, we truly need the involvement and support of all athletes and families. Thank you for helping us make this program successful for everyone involved.
Upcoming Fundraising Events
• Little Caesars Pizza Fundraiser
Ongoing through May 31, 2026
This fundraiser only requires you to share the flyer or QR code with family, friends, coworkers or anyone else who would like to support Special Olympics with an easy dinner.
• Tip-A-Cop Fundraiser
June 5, 2026 | 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Texas Roadhouse
Athletes will sign up for 1 hour time slots. We need 3 to 5 athletes per slot.
• Vendor Fair & Fire Truck Pull
August 15, 2026
We will also be hosting a Vendor Fair in conjunction with the Fire Truck Pull at Frontier Mall like last year. We would love to see several teams participate in this event, as it has continued to grow over the past few years. Athletes and families can help us advertise as well to help Special Olympics and all of our small business vendors who have paid for a spot to be at out event
