Laurier welcomes Special Olympics Ontario Spring Games to Waterloo campus May 23-26

May 9, 2024

Wilfrid Laurier University welcomes athletes, coaches, staff, volunteers and spectators to the Waterloo campus May 23 through 26 for Special Olympics Ontario’s 2024 Spring Games. Hosted by Waterloo Region Police Services, the Spring Games celebrate the achievements of Special Olympics athletes in Ontario.

Laurier is an official Games Partner. Laurier residences will serve as the Athletes Village, while the Athletic Complex will host select basketball and swimming events. More than 750 athletes, including 35 from the Region of Waterloo, will be competing in five sports, including basketball, swimming, powerlifting, rhythmic gymnastics and 10-pin bowling.

“We are thrilled to host the exceptional athletes of the Special Olympics Ontario Spring Games on our Waterloo campus,” says Laurier President and Vice-Chancellor Deborah MacLatchy. “Laurier is proud to be a part of supporting an inclusive and thriving community.”

Laurier invites faculty, contract teaching faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends of the university to share their Golden Hawk spirit during the 2024 Spring Games. Admission to all events is free, with competitions taking place across Waterloo Region during the four-day event. The 2024 Spring Games event schedule is available online. 

The Spring Games were originally scheduled to occur in Waterloo Region in 2020 but were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Volunteer at the Spring Games

Volunteers are needed for the 2024 Spring Games. At Laurier, volunteers can support basketball and general campus activities. Requests to volunteer with friends, colleagues and family members will be honoured by Special Olympics Ontario, where possible. Students can add volunteering at the 2024 Spring Games to their Laurier Experience Record.

Register to volunteer by May 15. Details, including dates, times and event locations, are available online. A copy of a Police Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Search completed within the last 365 days is required to volunteer.

About Special Olympics Ontario

Special Olympics Ontario is dedicated to enriching the lives of Ontarians living with intellectual disabilities through sport. Held every four years, the Spring Games are the pinnacle of competition for Special Olympics athletes in Ontario and a celebration of the incredible abilities of individuals with an intellectual disability.

The Spring Games were cancelled in 2020, putting the dreams of hundreds of athletes on hold. Special Olympics Ontario is thrilled to bring the Games back to Waterloo Region to keep athletes' dreams alive and realize the hard work of organizers.