An oath, a parade, and a whole lot of heart. That is what 167 athletes brought to Girard, Ohio, on Saturday when the 15th annual Special Olympics Invitational turned a football stadium into one of the most joyful places in northeast Ohio, proving once again that the biggest wins sometimes have nothing to do with the scoreboard.
A Day That Belongs to the Athletes
The morning at Arrowhead Stadium started the way it always does. Before a single race was run or a single javelin thrown, every competitor stopped, stood together, and spoke the words that have defined the Special Olympics movement for decades: “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”
From there, Nikko Cappitte of Warren delivered the national anthem, and the Girard High School Marching Band led competitors and coaches in a parade around the track alongside the Austintown Fitch color guard. Opening ceremonies kicked off at 9:30 a.m., and competition followed at 9:45 a.m.
For a lot of the people in that stadium, the medals were only part of the point. Hugs, handshakes, and loud cheers from teammates filled every corner of the infield long before the first event began.
Five Teams, One Track, No County Lines
This year’s invitational brought together 167 athletes from five programs representing five northeast Ohio counties. The competing teams were:
- Ashtabula Lakers
- Columbiana Comets
- Kent Roosevelt (representing Portage County)
- Geauga Blue Streaks
- Trumbull County Fairhaven Bulldogs
Throughout the morning, athletes rotated through a full slate of track and field events, including the 50-, 100-, 200-, 400-, 800-, and 1,500-meter races, along with the softball throw, shot put, long jump, and mini javelin. Top finishers in each event earned gold, silver, and bronze medals on the podium.
Bo Greene, athletic director and local coordinator for Trumbull County Fairhaven, summed up what makes this event different from any other athletic competition. “There’s no county lines with them,” Greene said. “They know kids from Geauga, they know kids from Columbiana, they know each other from Mahoning or whatever.”
Twenty Years of Showing Up
No one at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday better represented the spirit of the Special Olympics than Kaylen Ralston of Girard. Ralston has competed in the invitational for 20 years as a member of the Trumbull County Fairhaven team. He trained twice a week leading up to Saturday and entered three events: the 100-meter run, shot put, and the 4×100 relay race.
This year, Ralston had the honor of leading his fellow athletes in the Special Olympics Oath at the start of the ceremony. Then, mid-conversation with a reporter, he stopped, spotted a neighbor near the stands, and went in for a hug.
“I like seeing everyone, and to meet new people,” Ralston said.
That one sentence, more than any result or medal count, captures exactly what this event is built for. The Ashtabula Lakers also came into the day with momentum. Coach Earnest Williams said his team recently qualified 38 competitors for the state competition after strong performances at district events. “They are very good runners,” Williams said, adding that his coaching staff constantly pushes athletes to stay confident and proud of themselves.
The Coaches and the Community Behind It All
Athletes don’t just show up on the day. Greene said his team trains multiple days per week in the weeks before the invitational, just like any other school sports program. Coaches work carefully to place each athlete in events where they can succeed, whether that means running a sprint, competing in a field event, or participating in a walking race.
Kathy Kinney, a McDonald resident who competed for Fairhaven in the 100-meter walk and shot put, put it simply. “Having fun, enjoying it, the enthusiasm, the entertainment,” she said when describing what the day means to her.
The event could not happen without serious community backing. Sponsors this year included the Girard-Liberty Rotary, Fairhaven Special Olympics, and Girard City Schools, joined by dozens of local businesses, civic groups, and families.
Honoring the Man Who Started It All
Every year, the Trumbull County Special Olympics Invitational is held in memory of Randy Suchanek, the former president of the Girard-Liberty Rotary Club and a co-founder of the event. Suchanek, who passed away in July 2020, dedicated years of his life to building this event from the ground up alongside retired Girard City Schools superintendent Joe Jeswald.
“About 15 years ago, we went to the Girard-Liberty Rotary Club and presented the idea,” Jeswald recalled. “They jumped on board and the rest is history.”
What started as a single idea shared at a Rotary meeting has now grown into a 15-year tradition that draws athletes from across five counties and inspires hundreds of community volunteers each spring. Suchanek was known for his deep love of kids. He volunteered as a mentor for Girard Robotics, helped found food pantries at both Liberty and Girard High School, and received the Paul Harris Fellow Award for his service to the Rotary. His fingerprints are all over this event, even now.
Girard City Schools Superintendent Bryan O’Hara has watched the invitational grow year after year and says the school district is proud to be a part of it. “It’s an honor for the school district to host five different teams of Special Olympians,” O’Hara said. “We are teaching our students the importance of giving back and helping others, at the same time providing a service to those who look forward to this day.”
Saturday’s competition at Arrowhead Stadium was more than a track meet. It was 167 people choosing to show up, push themselves, and cheer each other on regardless of which county or team they called home. It was decades of work by coaches, volunteers, sponsors, and community leaders quietly making sure the field is ready every single May. And it was one man’s memory, carried forward by a stadium full of people who believe that sport, at its best, is not about who wins first. It’s about being brave in the attempt. What do you think about events like this one in your community? Share this story and let’s keep the conversation going.
