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The mud has dried, the rain clouds are gone, and LAUSD special needs students will finally have the chance to showcase their six weeks of training at the LAUSD Fall Soccer Games, which have been rescheduled for Thursday and Friday.

The School Games, which were postponed two weeks ago due to weather concerns, are the culmination of a partnership between the Special Olympics and LAUSD, offering sports training and athletic competition to LAUSD students with intellectual disabilities and other special needs. This Fall, 55 schools across the district are participating in the Games, which began in 2006. Since then, nearly 200 schools and 1,000 students have participated in the various sporting events.

Though soccer is the name of the game this week, students will turn to track and field in Spring. The program also features teams, in which special needs students play alongside the general LAUSD population.

San Fernando Valley schools will compete at Balboa Recreation Center on Thursday, while Los Angeles City Schools will take the pitch at Goals Soccer Center on Friday.

Previous Posts: LA Unified, Special Olympics team up for special needs kids in Valley