BY DONNA SWICEGOOD

Flag football is not an officially sanctioned sport by North Carolina Special Olympics, but the more than 40 athletes who showed off their skills at South Iredell High School on Saturday hope to change that.

Four teams, two from Cabarrus and one each from Iredell and Special Olympics Lake Norman, spent the afternoon in front of a group of supporters showing off their passing, running and defensive skills.

Bobbi Williams, local coordinator for Special Olympics of Iredell County, said this is just the second year that local athletes participated in flag football.

Saturday’s event on South Iredell High’s practice field was the second of two invitationals in recent weeks.

Since it is not an officially sanctioned sport by the state organization there are just a few teams competing at this point, Williams said, but local athletes and their supporters hope the sport will grow in popularity, which may lead to it becoming a medal sport at the state level.

But even if it was just a chance to practice and learn skills, the athletes, coaches and other volunteers, enjoyed the competition.

Volunteers included staff and students from South Iredell High School.

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