Bronze Medal for Team Spirit at Special Olympics USA Games

​In three days of competing in the Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle, local soccer squad Team Spirit scored 17 goals and managed to make it into the semifinals, netting a bronze medal.
 
Head coach Mike Quinn, Northwest Center’s VP of business development, gave all the credit to his players, who managed to defeat Hawaii and South Carolina in the early rounds. In the semis, Team Spirit tied the Washington Thunder 1-to-1 in the elimination round to secure the bronze. Washington Thunder went on to win gold and Maine took the silver.

In an early game against South Carolina, Team Spirit forward Rama Tall scored a hat trick with three goals in the win. “Pass to your teammates and get spread out to score goals,” says Tall. During the same game, Spirit’s Gunner Magley scored his first ever goal in soccer competition—something special to achieve at the Olympics. “It felt great, really exciting,” says Magley.
 
Overall at the USA Games, Washington Spirit played six games in three days. The team’s 17 goals scored far outpaced the seven goals they allowed. And the team had a blast, according to Quinn: “One of my players said to me, ‘Mike, this is the most fun I have had in my entire life.’
 
“We competed against some really tough teams throughout the country,” Quinn says. “I’m proud of every one of my players for their efforts and how they never quit to take home the bronze.” ​