Boothbay Region’s Special Olympics athletes are getting ready to compete in the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle, Washington July 1-6. Special education teacher and coach Toby LeConte said the students are barely able to contain their excitement as practices move forward and the events draw nearer.

Athletes include Gracie Giles and Danny Miller, who will compete as swimmers, and Valerie Giles, who will compete on the soccer team. Alternates include Isaac Pray, a hopeful swimmer, and Amber Hyson, a hopeful track and field athlete. LeConte said this will be Hyson’s third year as an alternate and that Gracie Giles will be the youngest athlete to compete.

“Isaac has been practicing swimming hoping someone will break a leg or whatever and he’ll get to go,” said LeConte. “Amber has been practicing track and field the whole time hoping someone will break a leg and she’ll get to go. Of course, we don’t hope anyone breaks a leg, but, you know, it happens!”

The Special Olympics World Games were established in Chicago, Illinois in 1968 by Sargent and Eunice Shriver, brother-in-law and sister of President John F. Kennedy. The inspiration came from Eunice Shriver’s desire to see people with intellectual disabilities acknowledged and given the opportunity to “discover new strengths and abilities, skills and success,” according to the Special Olympics mission.

This year's games will be hosted by Washington University, where LeConte, other coaches and chaperones, and 45 to 50 athletes from Maine will be staying. This year’s games will include soccer, swimming, bocce, bowling, golf and track and field. LeConte will serve as the track and field coach for the Maine team.

Said LeConte, “It’s a big feat for Maine Special Olympics to get everyone together, to pay for everybody, and get them on board … They’re very excited.”