SYRACUSE --
Mike VonRapacki trained hard for the past 5 years to make it here today, the Special Olympic Winter Games. Mike says, "First time I practiced with a team he said welcome to the team, you're officially with the team, and I was like, 'great!'" VonRapacki and his teammate, John Silver, are floor hockey players at heart. "It's a hard game and you gotta stay focused on the puck," says Silver.The floor hockey rink was just being built Friday morning at the OnCenter. It's not just for Mike and John, but for the more than 500 special athletes and their coaches. Stacy Gioeli helps organize the Special Olympic Winter Games, and says, "We had 100 volunteers come today which is incredible to show how much goes into it."
Mike and John's sport, Floor Hockey, will take center stage starting Friday night. Until then, volunteers are setting up the arena for the torch lighting to get everything started Olympic style.
The winter games kick off at the OnCenter in Downtown Syracuse and carry on for much of the weekend, including games like skiing and snowshoeing. Event officials say if you want to watch competition, this is the place to be. "It gets pretty competitive, we actually have a floor hockey team that was at the world games in Japan a few years ago so that's really exciting," says Gioeli.
When Mike and John take to the floor, they're going to gun for the gold, but Mike says even if they leave with silver, it's worth it. Mike says, "It's a lot of fun to work with a team that trusts with you and depends on you and it's a good thing because you show teamwork."
The Special Olympics are free for all and fun for all ages.
