As the City of Seattle looks forward to hosting the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games, Sounders FC today reaffirmed its commitment to celebrating inclusivity and diversity as the team serves as a professional sports partner of the Games.
As part of this commitment, Sounders FC players Jordan Morris and Cristian Roldan, along with alumni Kasey Keller, Roger Levesque and Taylor Graham, have elected to serve as official 2018 USA Games ambassadors, using their platforms to help amplify the Special Olympics message of diversity, inclusion and unity while fundraising and serving as inspirations to athletes with intellectual disabilities.
Furthermore, Sounders FC is dedicated to recruiting 1,000 volunteers to cheer on Special Olympics soccer athletes as Fans in the Stands from July 2-5. The Fans in the Stands program was designed to promote unity by encouraging students, friends and families to gather groups together to make posters and banners for Special Olympics athletes competing in the 2018 USA Games. Because not every athlete has support in the crowd, Fans in the Stands asks those who are able to join together to support and cheer for all athletes.
As Seattle is home to some of the best soccer fans in the country, Sounders FC is devoted to helping create the most welcoming environment for the 2018 USA Games athletes. Morris and Levesque, along with soccer legend Alan Hinton, athletes from Sounders FC 2, RAVE Foundation and Sound Wave are all scheduled to attend different soccer matches during the July 2-5 period. Fans can cheer along beside these representatives by registering at: http://sndrs.com/j6cgk.
The appearance schedule is as follows:
- July 2, 2018 – 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. – Jordan Morris at Seattle University
- July 2, 2018 – 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. – Roger Levesque at Seattle University
- July 2, 2018 – 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. – Sounders FC 2 at University of Washington
- July 3, 2018 – 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. – Alan Hinton at Seattle University
- July 4, 2018 – 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. – RAVE Foundation at Seattle University
- July 5, 2018 – 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. – Sound Wave at Seattle University
Note that the schedules of team representatives are subject to change. Please check the volunteer registration link closer to the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games for the most updated schedule. Sounders FC ambassadors will be on-site during the indicated timeframe for at least an hour.
In addition, leading up to the 2018 USA Games opening, Sounders FC plans to celebrate the talents of the USA Games’ athletes during its June 30 match against the Portland Timbers. The team is offering an exclusive ticket package that includes a limited edition 2018 Special Olympics USA Games / Sounders FC scarf that can only be obtained through purchasing the package. Fans who wish to obtain the scarf but have already purchased tickets may purchase the package for the scarf and donate their ticket to a Special Olympics athlete. More information about matchday elements celebrating the 2018 USA Games is set to be released leading up to the game.
