Original Publish Date/Outlet: June 25, 2026 | Minnesota Star Tribune

Article Link: https://www.startribune.com/special-olympics-usa-games-2026-minnesota-adapted-sports-mshsl-results-schedule/601860249

Minnesota has 173 athletes competing in the Special Olympics USA Games this week.

Some of them are no stranger to playing under the bright lights.

Kayla Murray and Xavier Shaw, both 21 and members of one of the Unified Basketball squads for Team Minnesota, had their first taste of high-stakes competition back in high school. The two competed in multiple adapted sports within the Minnesota Adapted Athletes Association (MAAA).

Minnesota was a trailblazer in creating opportunities for athletes with intellectual and physical disabilities back in 1978 when it formed the MAAA. Its first sport, recreational floor hockey, became a conference-wide competition a year later in 1979. The Minnesota High School State League began to sanction and sponsor adapted sports 13 years later in 1992. The MAAA has since added soccer, softball and bowling.

Their first competition of the Olympics came Tuesday morning against Team Alaska. Despite falling 30-21, Murray, a fitness captain, believed the team would bounce back Wednesday against Montana.

“We had a good game,” Murray said. “It was close. Hopefully, we can win both.”

Kayla’s mom, Sue Murray, said her daughter has always loved sports.

“Sports has always been her love,” Sue said.

It seemed hockey piqued Kayla’s interest first. Sue, a volunteer with Minnesota Special Hockey, said Kayla became interested in hockey back in preschool after her teacher gifted her tickets to watch the University of Minnesota women’s hockey team at Ridder Arena.

“She pointed down to the arena at the end of the cage and she said, ‘I wanna do that,’” Sue said. “So next year, we got her enrolled in hockey, and she’s been a hockey player ever since.”

Kayla expanded her interests as she grew older, picking up basketball in her early teens, then soccer in her late teens.

Shaw, on the other hand, also competes in pickleball and softball. He said he conducted some independent film study ahead of Tuesday’s game against Team Alaska.

“I evolve, I adapt, because for me, it’s all about strategy,” Shaw said. “I always play like it’s a professional league. For me, I just take it one day at a time. I study players based off their practices.”

Kayla Murray fondly remembers her time competing in adapted sports at Roseville High School.

“Oh man, it was fun, hanging out with friends,” she said while laughing. “It’s been so long since I’ve talked about my high school.”

Shaw, another former Roseville standout and the Ed Prohofsky MVP Award winner in 2022, also enjoyed his time playing adapted sports.

“Best time of my life,” he said. “My favorite highlight is where I got to … qualify for state for soccer. And I made the winning goal that qualified.”

Sue Murray said her daughter participated in traditional sports growing up, but adapted sports served a different purpose.

“I think that traditional sports have fed a lot of her competitiveness and a lot of the skills,” Sue said. “But the adaptive sports have been awesome because not only is she able to play in a competitive environment, but it also feeds her soul.”

Sue said participating in adapted sports and the Special Olympics has allowed Kayla to create community.

“She’s built friendships over the years. We see a lot of the same players on different teams in Minnesota,” Sue said.

Kayla said her biggest challenge ahead of the Special Olympics was adjusting to new teammates and a new environment. But she found her stride.

“Once I got used to new states, new friends, I’ve been getting better and better at hanging out with them and spending time with them,“ Kayla said.

The medal rounds for Unified basketball are Thursday and Friday. The full schedule and results can be found here.