Special Olympics Athletes Competing at State Indoor Winter Games in Cobb County

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The games mark the first event of Special Olympics Georgia's 40th anniversary. The organization has grown from 500 athletes in 1970 to nearly 23,000 today. Special Olympics will debut red and white scarves knitted by the community. Next year, the organization aims to give every athlete a scarf.

More than 2,000 participants from all over Georgia will compete Jan. 15-17 at various locations in Cobb County. Athletes will compete in basketball, bowling, floor hockey, power lifting, artistic gymnastics and roller skating.

The games, which are free and open to the public, begin Friday morning with basketball competitions at Smyrna Community Center and Opening Ceremony at 7:30 p.m. at Cobb Civic Center in Marietta. Grand Marshalls are Kennesaw State University athletes and Doc Shaw of Disney's Suite Life on Deck and Tyler Perry's House of Payne.

Competitions will continue Saturday and Sunday at various locations, including AMF Marietta Lanes, Brunswick Zone, Marietta Middle School, and Cobb County Civic Center. The full schedule is available at www.SpecialOlympicsGA.org

Special Olympics Georgia (SOGA)

SOGA provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for nearly 23,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in the sharing of gifts, skills, and friendships with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community. For more information visit www.SpecialOlympicsGA.org