Exhilarating cheers rang throughout campus this weekend for the 37th annual Villanova Special Olympics (SpO). The campus, along with student and general volunteers, welcomed more than 1,200 athletes, coaches and Unified Partners to partake in the weekend competitions.

This year’s theme was “Let your Passions Unleash, Create your Masterpiece.” The decorations focused on different forms of art, including theatre, film, statues, music, dance and written art.

Athletes competed in any of six total Olympic-type sports, including soccer, volleyball, bocce, powerlifting, long-distance running and walking and flag football. Soccer was hosted at the Villanova Stadium and Pike Field. Volleyball took place at the Jake Nevin Field House, Agnes Irwin School’s gym and the St. Mary’s gym. Athletes competing in bocce took a bus to Cabrini University’s campus facilities. Powerlifting was held in the Villanova Room of the Connelly Center. Athletes participating in long distance running and walking competed on Sheehan Beach. Flag football matches were held on Austin Field.

After Friday’s competition, the athletes were officially welcomed to campus at the Opening Ceremonies, which took place in the Finneran Pavilion.

As Ceremonies Committee Assistant, Aidan McGovern planned the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. The committee hoped to incorporate this theme of a masterpiece within the ceremonies.

“We’re going to go in with the mindset of opening ceremonies is going to introduce the accomplishments of these athletes,” McGovern said. “So, for us, as we showed off our masterpiece, we wanted it to be a place where they could get ready to show off theirs, as well.”

The Opening Ceremonies consisted of pre-show entertainment featuring NBC10 anchor Keith Jones and athlete Carolann Haggerty. Festival Director Jane Butler spoke along, with the two athlete emcees, John Mitchell and Tab Bilger.

The Opening Ceremonies continued with the athlete procession. Members of Villanova varsity athletic teams and representatives from each county lined up to cheer for the athletes.

The national anthem was then sung by the Villanova Supernovas. University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., Ph.D. gave his remarks, which also focused on SpO’s masterpiece theme. The emcees then introduced the inspiration video.

Following tradition, the Open Ceremonies featured the LPH dance. About 300 freshman Local Program Hosts (LPH) ran onto the dance floor to burst into their high-energy choreographed hype dance.

The Ceremonies also featured the Athlete of the Year award. Athlete Scott Johnson from York County sat courtside in the Finn, unaware that he was to receive the award. When he heard his name announced, he was consumed with excitement.

The Ceremonies concluded with the lighting of the torch and the throwing of the streamers.

“The Finneran Pavilion was filled to the brim,” said Abby Stinson, senior and Volunteer Coordinator for the Entertainment Sub-Committee. “My favorite part, personally, is the throwing of the streamers. They throw the streamers once the torch is lit, and everyone gets a real kick out of it, and loves that visual of everyone in the pavilion throwing streamers, all different colors. It really brings the whole organization together.”

The excitement continued Saturday Nov. 8.

Besides competing, athletes could interact with Villanovans at the Olympics Town (O-Town). There were about 60 tables from various student organizations lined up around the Quad.

Each table presented a specific activity such as coloring, free apple cider handouts or temporary tattoos.

There was also a mini O-Town hosted at Cabrini’s campus for the athletes competing in bocce. It was located outside the Dixon Center.

“I think the mini O-Town was a great success, as far as the athletes were just so surprised and also just excited to know that during down time at Cabrini, they didn’t have to just continue to watch bocce all day,” Stinson said. “They could come outside and make a bracelet, and there was a DJ there that was playing music, and things like that. I thought it was a great utilization of the new campus we have.”

The utilization of Cabrini’s campus provided a greater expansion of SpO activities and events, such as the bocce competitions and the Victory Jamboree. However, there were some transportation issues in getting volunteers to the campus on time.

“I think there [were] only two [large buses], and I don’t think those buses were keeping to a correct schedule, even though there was a schedule set, and I think the student committee did as much as they could to overcome those obstacles,” Stinson said. “I think it was just the sense of getting used to the fact that we do have this Cabrini campus, and I think it will also help in the future now that Cabrini will be utilized more as a campus in general beyond just Special Olympics.”

The Victory Jamboree took place in the Dixon Center. Athletes, coaches and volunteers danced in celebration of their accomplishments.

Mia Zebrauskas, Inclusion Crew member with the Media and Publicity team, and also a member of the Villanova Television (VTV) executive board, gathered footage of the weekend’s events to prepare the recap video shown at Closing Ceremonies. She attended the Victory Jamboree to capture the energy on film.

“The energy was incredible. It was electric,” Zebrauskas said. “Even though I was there as a videographer, I was dancing. So, I had, like, a double role as a videographer and a dancer.”

On Sunday, Nov. 9, in addition to the final day of competition, athletes enjoyed the Closing Ceremonies, which took place at O-Town in the Quad. The closing remarks were then given on the Bartley steps, where the recap video was shown.

“Watching the faces of all my friends…shed tears because of the athletes’ successes and because of the memories they’ve made in this community made me super emotional,” McGovern said. “Villanova Special Olympics allows for is a weekend of inclusivity, a weekend where athletes…can show up and be an athlete…in front of a community that loves them and accepts them.”

Now that this year’s Fall Fest has concluded, Villanova will begin the countdown until the next Fall Fest.