Invitational Youth Games Torch travels from Chicago to Toronto

The inaugural Invitational Youth Games will take place from May 14 to 17, 2019, in venues across the Greater Toronto Area. A total of 2,500 athletes and coaches from Canada, the United States and the Caribbean, will be taking part in the youth games. The theme is Toronto 'Uniting the World." Student athletes from ages 13 to 21 years old, with and without intellectual disabilities, alongside their coaches will take part in five sporting events. Representatives from The Premier’s Office, The Mayor’s Office, the Toronto Police Service and the NHL Alumni Association are among the distinguished guests set to attend these ground‐breaking games and related special events celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Special Olympics worldwide. Admission to the games is free. Enabled by support from the Province, the City of Toronto, sponsors and host organization, The Toronto Police Service, the Games will celebrate Ontario’s continued leadership in the worldwide Special Olympics movement including pioneering research led by Ontario’s esteemed Dr. Frank Hayden. In conjunction with the IYG will be the Special Olympics Floor Hockey Championship involving 18 teams from across Ontario and five invitational teams from Canada. Over 400 athletes and coaches are participating in the Floor Hockey games with the opportunity to advance to the 2020 National Winter Games to be hosted in Thunder Bay, Ontario and subsequently the 2021 World Games in Sweden.