The University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) Endeavor Games, a nationally recognized multi-sport competition that allows athletes with physical disabilities to participate, is becoming a series with the addition of another event. UCO, in partnership with Turnstone, a nonprofit organization providing therapeutic, educational, wellness, and recreational programs to empower people with disabilities throughout northwestern Indiana, will host the 2017 Turnstone Endeavor Games in Fort Wayne, Indiana, April 21-23. This is the first event of the newly created Endeavor Games Series.
“Turnstone is pleased to partner with UCO and the Endeavor Games in being their first partner in creating the Endeavor Games Series,” said Mike Mushett, CEO of Turnstone.
The creation of the series is part of an initiative to extend the reach of the event to more cities throughout the nation. The result would be increased opportunities for competition for children, adults, and military service members with physical disabilities. The UCO Endeavor Games has grown in participation over the past 17 years, showing there is a demand for such competitions.
“When the Endeavor Games began in 2000, the hope was simply to provide a quality athletic competition to athletes with physical disabilities. After 17 years, this has remained the driving force, and we will continue to broaden our reach so that we may serve as many athletes as possible,” said Katrina Shaklee, cofounder of the UCO Endeavor Games and senior director for the UCO Wellness Center.
The 2017 Turnstone Endeavor Games, presented by Parkview Physicians Group, Fort Wayne, Indiana, will feature air rifle shooting, boccia, goalball, sitting volleyball, swimming, table tennis, track and field, and wheelchair basketball. Sports clinics will also be offered for air rifle shooting, boccia, goalball, swimming, and track and field, as well as classifications for swimming and track and field.
UCO will host the second event of the series, the 18th annual UCO Endeavor Games, June 8-11. The games will feature archery, air rifle shooting, cycling, powerlifting, 4-on-4 sitting volleyball, swimming, table tennis, track and field, 3-on-3 wheelchair basketball and wheelchair softball.
For more information about the Endeavor Games Series, visit www.endeavorgames.com.
