Special Olympics Celebrates Third Annual Gaming for Inclusion Initiative
By Max Mallow
The Special Olympics celebrated its third annual Gaming for Inclusion event on Nov. 11 presented by Microsoft.
Gaming for Inclusion brought together Special Olympics athletes and Unified partners to compete in Rocket league on Xbox and PC. Players had the chance to play alongside Special Olympics supporters including 12-time WWE champion and Tag Team Triple Crown Champion Xavier Woods (a.k.a. Austin Creed) and NFL legends Davon House and Jamaal Charles. Plus, Gaming for Inclusion provided an opportunity for three Special Olympics athletes to become shoutcasters and hosts for the Celebrity Showcase:
- Cameron Garrett from Special Olympics Illinois
- Billy Seide from Special Olympics New York
- Lily Goodfellow from Special Olympics Illinois
Seide and Garrett have been part of Special Olympics for 24 and over 20 years respectively. Goodfellow is pursuing her dream of working as a sports reporter currently working as a Guest Services Associate for the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
It's official - our 3rd #GamingForInclusion tournament was a hit! A huge thank you to our partners and celebrities; @Microsoft, @Xbox, @Rocketleague, @rockitappleusa, @WWE, @AustinCreedWins, @jamaalcharles, @mackhollins, and @DavonHouse. #GamersUnite #PlayForPurpose pic.twitter.com/wKWC2neXFU
— Special Olympics (@SpecialOlympics) November 20, 2023
Special Olypmics Celebrates Third Annual Gaming for Inclusion Initiative
All three Special Olympics athletes traveled to New York City last month for a focused two-day training with Microsoft to develop shoutcasing skills, including how to analyze and commentate a game happening in real time, interviewing players and guests plus more.
Check out interviews with Lily Goodfellow and Cameron Garret hosted by Sterling Holmes and Ben Gregory discussing why shoutcasting is important for Special Olympics, the impact and favorite moments from the event.
As well, check out interviews with Jamaal Charles and Davon House, plus a video highlighting the importance of inclusivity in gaming with Dylan Smith and Max Levy.