Special Olympics Wisconsin (SOWI) selected Rebecca Burkee of West Allis as one of 62 athletes to represent Team Wisconsin at the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games in Princeton, New Jersey on June 14-21, 2014. Wisconsin athletes will compete in athletics, aquatics, bocce, bowling, flag football, gymnastics, powerlifting and volleyball.
Burkee has competed in Special Olympics bocce and bowling for the past 26 years. In 2013, she was nominated to serve as the Athlete Marshall of the World’s Largest Truck Convoy fundraiser, an event where 136 trucks drove from Richfield to Oshkosh to raise money for Special Olympics Wisconsin. Burkee said the opportunities Special Olympics Wisconsin has given her have changed her life.
“It has given me friends, activities, a chance to travel, to compete and win. But it’s the people that make it the best,” she said.
This will be Burkee’s second time competing at the national level; she attended the 2010 USA Games in Lincoln, Nebraska. Burkee not only excited to go for the gold, she’s eager to make new friends from around the country.
“I want to win for Wisconsin,” she said. “[I also] want other athletes to know how nice we are-our team from Wisconsin.”
Burkee will compete in bocce and will be one of 86 delegates representing Team Wisconsin at the 2014 USA Games in New Jersey.
SOWI will host an official training camp for Team Wisconsin athletes on May 17-18, 2014 at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. The 2014 USA Games will showcase the abilities of athletes with intellectual disabilities, promote the ideals of acceptance and inclusion through sport, and celebrate the transformative power of Special Olympics. A total of 3,500 athletes, 1,000 coaches and delegates, 10,000 volunteers and 70,000 spectators will attend.
Sports competition will be held at venues throughout Mercer County, New Jersey, including Princeton University, Rider University, The College of New Jersey, Mercer County Park and several area private schools. There will be ample opportunities for supporters across the state to show their spirit and join the team through volunteerism, donations and attendance. For more information or to learn more about how you can support a local athlete, visit www.SpecialOlympicsWisconsin.org/USAGames.
