Special Olympics Athletes and Unified Partners Showcase Inclusivity and Elite Competition in Minnesota.
The court is set, the paddles are up, and history is in the making. Pickleball has moved from a demonstration sport to making its premiere as a sanctioned medal event at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games. The tournament brings a fast-paced, high-energy atmosphere to the games, celebrating the true spirit of sportsmanship and athletic excellence.
The sprawling National Sports Center campus in Blaine, Minnesota, has transformed its indoor NSC Sports Hall into a world-class pickleball hub to accommodate the growing sport and its passionate fans.
Nearly 50 athletes from eight state delegations have descended on Minnesota to compete. The tournament features both traditional doubles and Unified doubles formats, in which athletes with and without intellectual disabilities compete side by side on the same court.
All competitors are showcasing elite skills in this advanced, competitive match play, featuring rapid-fire dinking, deep underhand serves, and intense strategic play around “the kitchen.” For pickleball novices, the kitchen is the official name for the 7-foot non-volley zone closest to the net.
Initial round-robin matches allow officials to seed teams accurately by skill level, ensuring balanced and thrilling bracket rounds as players vie for a trip to the medals’ podium.
This historic debut is made possible by the support of major corporate and sport-specific partners dedicated to advancing inclusion. Jersey Mike’s and UnitedHealthcare serves as a co-presenting partners for the overall 2026 USA Games, helping bring the multi-sport event to life.
Meanwhile, Coca-Cola is proud to serve as the official sports sponsor for the pickleball competitions, keeping athletes fueled and hydrated. To ensure the highest quality of play, PickleRoll serves as the official court system provider, constructing state-of-the-art roll-out courts directly over the facility’s indoor flooring.
With packed bleachers and intense rallies, pickleball is proving to be one of the most vibrant and competitive additions to the USA Games lineup.
Meet Special Olympics Athletes Conor “CJ” Gallagher and Dominick “Doc” Powell, Pickleball, Team Virginia
CJ and Doc have been playing pickleball together for about three years, forging a successful partnership packed with wins on the court for Team Virginia. Both are from the Greater Richmond area, with Doc hailing from Henrico County while CJ calls Chesterfield home.
Marking the first USA Games for both athletes, 17-year-old Doc started with pickleball three years ago, by practicing and playing pickup games with his dad. Meanwhile, 30-year-old CJ started with tennis, but fell in love with pickleball the moment he discovered the sport.
Favorite Foods: Doc loves Italian, Mexican, and Chinese cuisines, while CJ votes for spaghetti with meat sauce, chicken and rice, beef and broccoli, and chili.
When asked what it takes to become a Special Olympics pickleball athlete, CJ shared, “You have to put in the hard work and practice. You gotta just be committed, because pickleball isn’t a halfway sport—you gotta go all in.” He added, “Just stay calm on the court, don’t get too confident, and most importantly, have fun.”
Big congratulations to CJ, Doc, and Team Virginia—keep rocking it and proudly represent the Sic Semper Tyrannis (Latin for “Thus Always to Tyrants”) State!