MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Local football athletes participated in a special flag football game at the NFL Experience at the Miami Beach Convention Center, Tuesday.
The indoor flag football game, complete with cheerleaders and mascots from the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs, transpired out of a partnership between the NFL and the Special Olympics, who said they paired young athletes with and without intellectual disabilities in the same team.
The cool thing is that some of the teammates have been together for years, so there is a very sweet relationship between the Special Olympics athletes and their Unified partner.
The event was all part of the Play 60 movement to make sure children are staying healthy and active.
They learned valuable lessons as special guests — the Chiefs and the 49ers — joined them on the field.
Organizers said the game was all about getting out, having fun and giving kids opportunities who may not have one.
“Biggest takeaway I would say, just involvement, because a lot of these kids are kind of secluded, and they’re kind of looked down upon in a way,” Unified Partner David Herrmann said, “so it kind of brings them more into an inclusion and brings everyone together.”
“I like being independent, playing with my teammates, and I also like running the ball,” athlete Christian Curry said.
There was a very special moment for one of the Unified partners. One of the volunteers, who has been working with the athletes for many years, received a pair of tickets to the Super Bowl from the NFL.
The young athletes are from a championship team in Miami-Dade.
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