LAFC hosted 16 athletes on Wednesday, May 1 at BMO Stadium to sign official contracts for the club’s first-ever Special Olympics Unified Team, in partnership with BMO.
Unified team players and coaches were joined by LAFC midfielder and captain Ilie Sánchez, LAFC Co-President & General Manager John Thorrington and international soccer icon and 2022 MLS Cup Champion Giorgio Chiellini, who presented them with their authentic uniforms and training gear.
The LAFC Special Olympics Unified Team, created in collaboration with MLS Works and Special Olympics Southern California and with support from BMO, unites individuals between the ages of 16-25 with and without intellectual disabilities to compete as members of one team, further strengthening the club’s commitment to inclusivity on the pitch. As part of the program, the Unified team will attend weekly training sessions, play in scrimmages, and play matches against Unified teams from other Major League Soccer (MLS) Clubs.
The LAFC Special Olympics Unified Team kicks off their inaugural season on August 31, at BMO Stadium against the Houston Dynamo Special Olympics Unified Team following LAFC’s match against Houston Dynamo.
The current 2024 LAFC Special Olympics Unified Team competition schedule is listed below:
LAFC Unified Team vs. Houston Dynamo Unified Team
Date: Saturday, Aug. 31
Location: BMO Stadium, 3939 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90037
LAFC Unified Team vs. LA Galaxy Unified Team
Date: Tuesday, Sept. 10
Time: 4:30 p.m. PT
Location: Dignity Health Sports Park, 18400 Avalon Blvd, Carson, CA 90746
LAFC Unified Team vs. FC Dallas Unified Team
Date: Saturday, Sept. 21
Time: Immediately following the First Team match.
Location: Toyota Stadium, 9200 World Cup Way, Frisco, TX 75033
Additionally, members of the LAFC Special Olympics Unified Team were selected to represent the club at the Special Olympics Unified Sports All-Star soccer match, as part of the MLS All-Star Week celebration in Columbus, OH this past summer.
# | Name | Role | Hometown |
1 | Michael Reyes | Athlete | Bell, CA |
2 | Alanis Rodriguez | Unified Partner | Huntington Park, CA |
4 | Zachary Soto | Athlete | Malibu, CA |
5 | Josue Foster | Athlete | Eagle Rock, CA |
6 | Alice Wardle | Unified Partner | Eagle Rock , CA |
7 | Stephen Reyes | Unified Partner | South Gate, CA |
8 | Hannah Romero | Unified Partner | Rialto, CA |
10 | Amanda Ford | Athlete | Downey, CA |
11 | Geovanny Vasquez | Unified Partner | Los Angeles, CA |
12 | Irene Lee | Unified Partner | Torrance, CA |
13 | Daniel Flores | Athlete | South Gate, CA |
14 | Jonathan Gutierrez | Athlete | Eagle Rock, CA |
15 | Gautam Bhoyrul | Unified Partner | San Diego, CA |
22 | DShonna Lewis | Unified Partner | Valencia, CA |
24 | Sammy Lara | Athlete | Downey, CA |
25 | Diego Perez | Athlete | Perris, CA |