MOKENA, Ill. – Will County will be well-represented June 20-26 in Minnesota when approximately 3,000 athletes, 1,500 coaches, 10,000 volunteers and 75,000 fans from all 50 states will come together for the Special Olympics USA Summer Games.
Matt Reczek, (Mokena), Arik Sorensen (Joliet), Jimmy Moustis (Frankfort) and Dillon Bushmann (Tinley Park) are part of Team Illinois Unified Volleyball.
The Special Olympic USA Games begin June 20 with Opening Ceremonies at the University of Minnesota’s Huntington Bank Stadium and conclude with Closing Ceremonies six days later. The Team Illinois delegation consists of 57 athletes and Unified partners, 16 dedicated coaches and seven committed support staff. Throughout the week those Special Olympics athletes and Unified partners will compete in athletics, basketball, bocce, bowling, competitive cheer, cornhole, flag football, golf, gymnastics, pickleball, powerlifting, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis and volleyball.
For the Will County contingent, this is an opportunity to continue the success they enjoyed with Lincolnway Special Recreation Association’s Unified volleyball team. New Lenox-based LWSRA has won eight of the last nine Special Olympics Illinois State Unified championships since Unified competition was first offered in 2015.
“I can’t wait to go to Minneapolis,” said Reczek, 27, who will be taking a break from his jobs at Portillo’s Restaurant and Sanctuary Golf Course in New Lenox. “I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished with LWSRA and hope to bring home gold with Team Illinois. I’m so happy that Special Olympics Illinois has given me this opportunity.”
Added 30-year-old Sorensen, one of the Unified Volleyball partners who is an electrician by trade, “It’s a great honor to be able to represent Illinois on such a big stage. I’m especially proud of our two Special Olympic athletes, Matt and Jimmy, who have worked extremely hard to get here. The USA Games provide another way to build awareness for Unified Special Olympics sports and further demonstrate why inclusion for everyone is so important.”
Team Illinois’ Unified Volleyball team, coached by Julie Smith and Dawn Williams, also includes team members from Oak Lawn Park District, Special Opportunities Available in Recreation (SOAR) in Bloomington-Normal and Opportunity House in Sycamore. The team was selected by Special Olympics Illinois following tryouts in Rockford in October 2024 and has been practicing regularly.
Bios for the entire Team Illinois delegation can be found here, Click on a name to be taken to the profile page for that particular participant.
In April 48 members of the Team Illinois delegation gathered at the state capitol as members of the Illinois House, led by Rep. Matt Hanson (D-Batavia) and Rep. Natalie Manley (D-Romeoville), paid tribute and delivered well-wishes. The group also had a private meeting with Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias (D).
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