Our Daily Show! With CJ: Mayor McCormick, College for Life, and More!
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
GODFREY - Lewis and Clark Community College has started a Unified Special Olympics team.
Coach Niki and College For Life students Mary and Justin shared more about the Special Olympics team, called Trailblazers Unified. Students compete in sports like soccer, basketball, flag football, volleyball, cornhole and more.
“We get to create a more inclusive environment here at Lewis and Clark, and that’s really important to us,” Niki said. “It’s just creating a more positive look on campus, we think. We are recognized as a Unified Championship School now, so that has been really wonderful. What I think it brings to Lewis and Clark and just the community in general is to show that we all can work together.”
The College For Life program allows adults with disabilities to take college classes and engage with the LCCC campus. Students can take classes ranging from gardening to art to a new “Harry Potter” class.
The College For Life students will showcase the semester’s work at 10 a.m. on May 12, 2026, in Hatheway Cultural Center. The Trailblazers Unified cheerleaders, including Mary, will perform.
But Mary, Justin and Niki are currently most excited about the growing Special Olympics program. The team recently applied for a Unified Special Olympics banner; if they’re accepted, LCCC will be the first college in Illinois to receive one.
The students have enjoyed trying new sports. Students from the NO Nelson campus in Edwardsville have also participated. Justin shared that the College For Life and Special Olympics programs are “about making new friends,” and he can’t wait to compete and show off his skills.
“Soccer is one of my favorite sports. It helps with my feet. My main sport is basketball, so it can help with my hands. The speed in soccer can help, and basketball too, to move around and all that stuff,” Justin said. “The Special Olympics is great for both campuses. It unifies us. It’s bringing both of our campuses to those sports.”
Niki hopes they’ll eventually compete at the state level. She thanked LCCC Athletic Director Cody Zippmann for his support. The LCCC teams have worked with the Special Olympics program so the students can all practice together.
“I just want to give a huge thank you to the Athletics Department. They have really taken us under their wing,” Niki said. “They’ve been so wonderful, letting us practice with them and them coming to practices.”
Mary, who has been involved with Special Olympics since the 1980s, added that the community can support the program by coming to their competitions and the May 12 showcase. She hopes many people engage with the Special Olympics program and the Trailblazers Unified team.
“Some people say that we’re not a team, but we are,” she said. “Just come and support us.”
For more information about College For Life and how to enroll or support, visit the official website. To learn more about Trailblazers Unified and to see their competition schedule, check out their official webpage.
More like this:
