Team Whidbey sends 15 athletes to Special Olympics state games

Fifteen Team Whidbey athletes are headed to Special Olympics Washington’s Spring Games, carrying months of practice and Island County support into competition May 29-31 in Tacoma and Federal Way. The island delegation will compete in track and field and swimming at a state meet that will draw more than 2,000 athletes, Unified partners and coaches, backed by more than 2,000 volunteers.

For coach and program coordinator Chris Becker, who has nearly 30 years of Special Olympics coaching experience, the trip is part of a familiar path for Whidbey athletes rather than a rare breakthrough. The team has trained for the past three months, building routines, confidence and the kind of consistency needed for a multi-day event spread across the University of Puget Sound, Cheney Stadium and the King County Aquatic Center.

Special Olympics Washington’s Spring Games will open with ceremonies at Cheney Stadium and continue with athletics, swimming, soccer, Olympic Town, Healthy Athletes screenings, an Inclusive Indigenous Games showcase and a Victory Dance. The statewide organization says the games have been championing inclusion through sports since 1976, a history that gives this year’s Whidbey contingent a place in a much larger movement.

On Whidbey, that movement depends on a support network that goes well beyond the track or pool deck. A Whidbey Community Foundation profile said more than 135 local athletes were participating in Special Olympics sports as of October 2025, including cycling, swimming, bocce, basketball and bowling, all free of charge. Grant funding helps cover uniforms, equipment, transportation and health screenings, the kind of costs that matter even more on an island where every off-island meet adds planning and expense.

The roster also reflects the wide reach of the program. A previous South Whidbey Record story said Team Whidbey athletes have ranged in age from 8 to 74 years old, and Becker has said the goal is not simply medals but fun, pride and personal growth. Michael Hamernik has described the Spring Games as a chance to stay motivated, keep exercising and reconnect with friends while meeting new people.

Team Whidbey and South Whidbey Wind are both listed in Special Olympics Washington’s Cascade area directory, and the local teams have kept reaching state-level competition in recent years. Team Whidbey won bronze and South Whidbey Wind won silver at a regional basketball competition in Marysville on Feb. 8, 2025, and earlier Whidbey teams brought home state medals in 2024. This week’s trip gives Island County another chance to see its athletes on a bigger stage, with the training, fundraising and family logistics behind them every step of the way.