Registration is open for the 21st annual University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) Endeavor Games, an opportunity for athletes with physical disabilities to participate in various sporting events on a competitive level, being held June 4-7. This year, in partnership with Paralympic training site Turnstone Center, instead of hosting in-person competitions, the full 2020 Endeavor Games series will be held virtually.
The UCO Endeavor Games is the nation’s largest multisport, multidisability event. The 2020 games include a team challenge, esport gaming, and nine individual sport challenges—5K, archery, air rifle shooting, cycling, swimming, sitting volleyball, wheelchair basketball, and track and field.
Additionally, there will be a virtual welcome party and 12 live virtual sport clinics, including five new clinics that have never been offered before (Nordic skiing, wheelchair football, paratriathlon, wheelchair rugby, and wheelchair tennis).
Adaptive track and field coaches or those interested in adaptive track and field coaching can participate in a clinic that will teach them how to coach athletes with a variety of physical disabilities, the proper training techniques for their athletes, and how to work with different types of equipment used by their athletes.
The clinics will be facilitated by top coaches and staff from each sport’s national governing body including Cathy Sellers, former director of US Paralympics Track and Field; Mary Hodge, high-performance manager of US Paralympic Powerlifting; Jason Harnett, national manager and head coach of US Wheelchair Tennis; and James Gumbert, head coach of US Wheelchair Rugby.
“Though none of us could have imagined the 21st year of the Endeavor Games looking quite like this, we are proud to be offering the games virtually and continuing our mission of bringing adaptive sport opportunities to athletes across the country, in collaboration with our partners at Turnstone,” said Katrina Shaklee, assistant vice president for wellness and sport at UCO.”
For athlete registration or to view a complete schedule of events for the 2020 Virtual UCO Endeavor Games, visit www.endeavorgames.com/edmond. Registration closes May 31.
For more information about the UCO Endeavor Games, contact Cassidhe Walker, coordinator for adaptive sports and events at UCO at cwalker68@uco.edu or 405-974-3411.
