The Special Olympics New York State Summer Games are next weekend in Ithaca, and more hands are needed to make the event go smoothly.

There will be eight sports in total at the State Summer Games, including track and field, bowling, basketball, basketball skills, swimming, tennis, volleyball and powerlifting.

“For me, it's not so much of getting the medals as more of the competition in and of itself,” said basketball player Byron Lee.

What You Need To Know

  • This year's Special Olympics New York State Summer Games will be hosted in Ithaca

  • The planning is extensive, including coordinating volunteers, planning meals, and finding bussing for athletes and coaches

  • They’re still looking for volunteers, the top three sports where volunteers are needed are swimming, track and field and basketball skills

Lee has been competing with Special Olympics since he was in high school, and he’s preparing for the upcoming State Summer Games.

“Play hard, play tight, play safe, play fair, work. And make sure that whoever you're with knows you're going to be right by their side,” said Lee.

It takes a lot of moving parts to put on an event with 1,000 athletes and coaches from around the state.

“So, there's a ton of logistics. We start over a year before we have the games to determine where is the housing, how many rooms, what are the room blocks, what is the cost, does this meet the budget, is the budget approved,” said Sara Massa, associate director of programs/sports with Special Olympics New York.

The planning is extensive, including coordinating volunteers, planning meals, and finding bussing for athletes and coaches.

“It's a great experience. One volunteer, Jill, always describes it as life changing, and it's something that the community loves being a part of. So, we thank the volunteers and they walk out the door thanking us,” said Massa.

Regardless of where the games are held, athletes hold tight to the Special Olympics oath: "Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt."

“But now to me still, it's not so much of the cities, but the people that make the events happen,” said Lee.

The plan is for this to be the last time the State Summer Games are hosted in Ithaca. The event will be rotating to a new host city for a few years, but that location won’t be announced until next weekend at the competition. They’re still looking for volunteers; the top three sports where volunteers are needed are swimming, track and field and basketball skills.