A group of local athletes is preparing to travel to Minnesota for the 2026 USA Games, a national Special Olympics event held every four years as “a monumental celebration of ability and inclusion.”
Douglas County Special Olympics will be sending athletes to compete alongside the Kansas delegation in swimming, bocce ball, flag football and cornhole at the event, which will run from Saturday, June 20 through Friday, June 26.
“We have 10 athletes going from one county, which is major,” said Jacqui Folks, program coordinator for Douglas County Special Olympics and mother of one of the athletes. “I’m just excited to see them fulfill this dream, and see all their hard work come together. I mean, they’ve all worked so hard. It’s been so cool to watch.”
Athletes were either nominated for the USA Games or had the chance to apply. Jacqui started preparing for the swimming event with her son, Ethan Folks, and fellow athlete Victoria VanAlstine around 18 months ago.
Preparation for the USA Games has proven to be more intense than regular-season practices.
“It’s, ‘I know you can do it,’ and it’s more pushing,” Jacqui said. “They are athletes that can take that kind of push, so they have to work much harder.”
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Ethan, who has been involved in Special Olympics since he was 12, will be competing at the USA Games for the first time. His events include the freestyle and backstroke.
“I’m a little nervous because I don’t do so well in crowds, but I’m also excited to be on TV,” Ethan said. “I’m hoping to actually get a gold medal.”
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VanAlstine is involved in Special Olympics sports year-round, and will be competing in three swimming events at the USA games: the 50-yard butterfly, the 25-yard freestyle, and a relay.
“My mom calls me a fish out of water,” VanAlstine said. “I taught myself to swim when I was a little girl.”
Outside of athletes competing in swimming, Jennifer Goff will be traveling to the USA Games for bocce ball.
Goff has been involved in Special Olympics for about 20 years and has played bocce ball for three of those years. It will be Goff’s first time competing in the USA Games, which she has always wanted to do, and she hopes to “at least get a gold medal and try not to get disqualified.”
“I’ve gotten more excited than nervous,” Goff said. “I was nervous a long time ago, but now I’m more excited.”
Among the flag football team heading to the USA Games is a father-son duo who have been involved in Special Olympics together for 38 years.
Gary Tanner coaches multiple Special Olympics sports, including his son Brady Tanner’s flag football team, and serves as co-chairperson of Special Olympics Kansas’ State Board of Directors. Brady, who has participated in Special Olympics since he was 8 years old, has competed at the 2006 USA Games, the 2011 World Games and the 2025 World Games.
“I’m excited because my son’s excited,” Gary said. “This is the first time we’re going together, so just enjoying being together at this event will be great.”
Gary, alongside coaches Mark McMillin and Charles Mills, have been focusing on teaching the athletes techniques and skills for playing the game. One of the athletes is already back on the field after just being cleared last week from having a broken foot.
“We just would like to, number one, have fun — that’s the big goal — but you know, we want to win,” Gary said. “I know they’re trying pretty hard.”
Rickey Danberry, Colin Hughes, Skyler McMillin, CJ Mills, and Tim Trowbridge will make up the rest of the Douglas County flag football team members for the USA Games, and Megan Miller will be competing in cornhole.
The USA Games presents an exciting opportunity not only for competing, but also for athletes to see old friends and meet other athletes representing all 50 states.
Kansas athletes from outside of Douglas County will also be participating in soccer, tennis, powerlifting, golf, bowling, basketball and track and field.
Live coverage of the events will be available on ESPN+ and on the ESPN app.
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Hannah Loub (she/her), reporting correspondent with The Lawrence Times since January 2026, is a 2026 graduate of the University of Kansas who majored in journalism and global and international studies. She also served as lead digital producer for KUJH and worked as a beat reporter for the University Daily Kansan. Read her work for the Times here.
Nathan Kramer (he/him), a multimedia student journalist for The Lawrence Times since August 2024, is a recent graduate of Free State High School. He also served as a news photo editor for Free State’s student publication, where he worked as a videographer, photographer and motion designer. See more of his work for the Times here.
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