(WXMI) — Special Olympic athletes had the opportunity to take the field with Grand Valley State University football players during the team's Victory Day. The event gave athletes the opporunity to run drills, score touchdowns and experience what it's like to be a Laker football player for a day.
"To see it come to fruition has been everything and to see the joy across this football field today, that's what our game is about," Grand Valley football coach Scott Wooster said.
Each Special Olympic athlete was paired with a GVSU football player touring the locker room, running out onto the field, participating in drills and even scoring a game-winning touchdown.
"We wanted to be able to give them the experience that these GVSU players go through," Grand Valley sports management team leader Kelly Simpson said. "They got to tour the locker room, run out of the tunnel just like they do. They will go through some drills with them and hopefully score some touchdowns."
"I'm very excited about it," Special Olympic athlete Jackson Austin said. "It was really cool. There was a lot to see. A lot of cool stuff."
The Grand Valley sports management team organizes Special Olympic events throughout the year. They partnered with the football program for this special day.
"I am really glad that we got to do this and hopefully start a new tradition," Simpson said.
"To see this today, this is what it is about. In a ton of games, do well academically, prepare yourself for the next 50 years and take our platform and share it with somebody else. To see the gratitude, the joy. It's awesome," Wooseter said.
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