GATLINBURG, Tenn. — If there's one word that gets the athletes excited about the annual Special Olympics State Winter Games, it's 'snow.'
"They were more excited about the snow than the competition probably," laughed Joseph Brown, a coach from Columbia, Tennessee.
The 2019 games had events scheduled Sunday through Tuesday at Ober Gatlinburg, but they got a special snowfall to accompany the skiing, skating and snowboarding events for Tuesday, bringing smiles to many faces.
Brown said watching the joy on athletes faces is why he volunteers.
"That's everything for me."
While the snow made for prime skiing conditions for the athletes who made the trip, the winter weather caused many school system teams to cancel.
"Unfortunately, we did have some Special Olympics teams that were affiliated with school districts head back to where they live. They came on school buses, so the superintendent made the call that they had to leave. But, there are about 160 athletes left, and they're going to compete for the gold," Ober Gatlinburg spokesperson Kate Barido said.
For more on the games, visit specialolympicstn.org.