Correspondent photo / Amanda Smith Kaylen Ralston, of Girard, a team member of Trumbull County’s Fairhaven program, has participated in the Special Olympics for 20 years. On Saturday, he led fellow athletes in the Special Olympics Oath: “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”

GIRARD — All across the infield at Girard’s Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday, athletes were busy stretching, throwing mini javelins, heaving shot puts and prepping for individual races and relays. The 15th annual Special Olympics Invitational was about to get underway.

The athletes began the day by reciting the Special Olympics oath:

“Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”

Opening ceremonies began with Nikko Cappitte of Warren singing the national anthem before the Girard High School Marching Band and Austintown Fitch color guard led competitors in a parade around the track.

For many competitors, the event was as much about reconnecting with friends as it was collecting medals.

Kaylen Ralston, of Girard, has participated in the event for 20 years as part of the Trumbull County Fairhaven team.

Ralston trained with fellow Fairhaven athletes twice a week leading up to Saturday’s competition. This year, he competed in the 100-meter run, shot put and the 4×100 relay race.

“I like seeing everyone, and to meet new people,” Ralston said before pausing to give one of his Girard neighbors a hug near the stands.

“My favorite part is the camaraderie that these kids have,” said Bo Greene, athletic director and local coordinator for Trumbull County Fairhaven. “There’s no county lines with them. They know kids from Geauga, they know kids from Columbiana, they know each other from Mahoning or whatever.”

Greene said athletes spend weeks preparing for the invitational much like any other school sports team.

“We practice two, three days a week,” Greene said.

He said coaches try to place athletes in events where they can succeed and build confidence, whether that means running races, competing in field events or participating in walking competitions.

The annual event brought together 167 athletes from five schools and organizations: Ashtabula Lakers, Columbiana Comets, Kent Roosevelt representing Portage County, Geauga Blue Streaks and Trumbull County Fairhaven Bulldogs.

Throughout the morning, competitors rotated through events including the 50-, 100-, 200-, 400-, 800- and 1,500-meter races, softball throw, shot put, long jump and mini javelin.

On one side of the field, runners crouched at starting lines waiting for the signal to sprint. Nearby, teammates cheered throwers during the throwing events.

Earnest Williams, coach for the Ashtabula Lakers, said his athletes recently qualified 38 competitors for the state competition after strong finishes at district events.

“They’re awesome,” Williams said of his runners. “They are very good runners.”

Williams said the coaching staff constantly reminds athletes to stay confident and proud of themselves.

“We tell our team to make sure you’re always a winner,” Williams said. “You’re always my champion.”

Ashtabula coach Chris McKiddy said the team environment matters just as much as the competition itself.

“We’re a family. We’re a team,” McKiddy said. “We try to make them feel like a family.”

The event also relied heavily on community support. Sponsors included Girard-Liberty Rotary, Fairhaven Special Olympics and Girard City Schools, along with dozens of local businesses, civic groups and families.

Greene said support from organizations and volunteers has helped the invitational continue growing for 15 years. While the stadium is usually the site of bitter rivalries and hard-fought competitions, for one day at least at Arrowhead Stadium, county lines and school names mattered a lot less than the high-fives, relay handoffs and reunions between athletes already making plans to see each other again next year.