The mission of Special Olympics Notre Dame is to activate Notre Dame students to the Special Olympics movement of dignity, acceptance, and fun for people with intellectual disabilities through the vehicle of sport.
Originally scheduled for Ricci Fields (next to Stepan Center)
More information in the press release.
Organized in partnership with Special Olympics Indiana, Special Olympics Michigan and Special Olympics International, the Unified Flag Football game will take place at 5 p.m. Friday at Alumni Field (the varsity soccer practice field) on the east side of campus.
The game, which is free and open to the public, will feature 15 athletes — 10 from South Bend and five from Ann Arbor — ranging in age from 10 to 30. There will be five players to a side — three athletes and two unified student partners — during play.
Former Notre Dame offensive lineman Mike Golic Jr. and former Michigan wide receiver Desmond Howard will serve as honorary captains for the game, delivering pre- and post-game remarks and providing advice and encouragement to the athletes during play.
Golic, an Academic All-American during his time with the Irish, currently hosts “First and Last” on ESPN radio. He also guests with his father, former Notre Dame and NFL player Mike Golic Sr., and Trey Wingo on “Golic and Wingo,” another ESPN Radio program.
Howard, the 1991 Heisman Trophy winner for the Wolverines, played 10 years in the NFL, winning one Super Bowl. He currently works as a college football analyst for ESPN.
After the game, Golic Jr. and Howard will present the “ND/Michigan Unified Flag Football Rivalry Series” trophy to the winning team.
The game will move to Ann Arbor next year, in October, when the Wolverines host the Irish in the second of two games in the renewed rivalry.