The Discovery All Stars Unified Flag Football team, based out of Sacramento, will be among the Team NorCal delegation heading to Minnesota this June to compete in the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games.
“It means so much to me for this team to go,” said Head Coach Carl Gayle. “I played sports at all of the highest levels. And to be honest with you, doing this is going to be one of the most exciting things in my life.”
Led by Coach Carl, the Discovery All Stars are comprised of six Special Olympics NorCal athletes, four Unified Partners and two coaches. Unified Sports pairs athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) with teammates without IDD, creating unique bonds and friendships through the power of sports and teamwork.
Unified Partner Tamarious described what being a partner means to him:
“Really seeing the individuality of each and every person,” he said. “Building a relationship with them. Seeing them develop and go higher as a person… I actually fell in love with that. They started to become family.”
Discovering A Family
The word ‘family’ was echoed among many of the All Stars. The broader program ranges from skill-level athletes up to Level 3, which is the level of the USA Games Unified Flag Football squad. The All Stars began as an after-school program back in 2011 with just a handful of athletes in basketball and has grown to welcome dozens of participants who compete in multiple sports and divisions.
“I first got involved because I’m the parent of an athlete,” said Ja, a Unified Partner for the All Stars. “Seeing the athletes out there, and having a little bit of an athletic background, I just wanted to get out there and share some of my knowledge. And it turned into this.”
“We take pride in being a culture,” added athlete Marvin. “A family. A place we can call a home away from home.”
The Road To Minnesota
The Unified Flag Football team qualified for USA Games by earning gold at the Special Olympics NorCal Flag Football Regional in 2024 and reclaimed their No. 1 spot at the October 2025 competition. Now looking ahead to June, the team is excited to challenge themselves against the best in the country and enjoy new experiences together.
“I’m most excited for my players {athletes} to go, actually,” said Ja. “It’s the first time for a lot of them, and I just want to see them reach their full potential. And I’m so proud of them.”
Rodney, a Special Olympics NorCal athlete who previously competed in track & field at the 2014 USA Games, is especially looking forward to going this time with his local teammates.
“I love playing with everybody,” said Rodney. “So I’m glad that we’re all going as a family.”
Asked what the team hopes to bring back from Minnesota, Rodney didn’t hesitate.
“The gold,” he said.
Marvin agreed and expanded on what he hopes for his team.
“Also, the gold,” he said. “And the team as a whole can have a different kind of level of bonding. We’ll become more of a family. And see how we match up against the rest of the country.”
The 2026 USA Games will take place from June 20-26 and will bring together more than 3,000 athletes from across the country to compete and share in the spirit of Special Olympics. Learn more about our Team NorCal delegation and follow their journey on the road to Minnesota!
About Special Olympics Northern California:
Special Olympics Northern California empowers children and adults with intellectual disabilities to participate in year-round sports training and athletic competitions in a variety of Olympic-type sports. Through the power of sport, we promote inclusion, acceptance, and the development of life skills, building stronger communities for one athlete at a time.
