MOULTRIE — Some 250 athletes and partners are expected to compete in the Area 14 Special Olympics Games that will be held Friday morning at several Moultrie venues.

This year’s event will mark the 29th straight year that Colquitt County and local Special Olympics coordinator Grant Hammack have played host to the Winter Games.

On tap for this year’s Games are team basketball skills, individual basketball skills, Level A basketball skills, Olympic basketball skills, team basketball, team floor hockey and Special Olympics youth athletes program for youngsters ages 2 through 5.

The new program is aimed at helping youngster get ready for the transition to the sports arena when they are 5.

Hammack said there is no skating competition this year.

“This is the first time in a long time we haven’t had skaters,” Hammack said. “Most of the skaters have gone into team competition.”

The Games will begin with Opening Ceremonies at 9:30 a.m. at the Willie J. Williams Middle School gymnasium.

The floor hockey competition, which will have five teams, also will be played in the Willie J. Williams middle school gym.

All basketball skills events will be in the Tommy Meredith Gymnasium and the team basketball competition will be in the Gladys Espy Gymnasium at Colquitt County High School.

The young athletes program will be held on the Willie J. Williams Middle School north campus.

Participants will have a chance to qualify for the state Special Olympics Winter Games which will be held in January in Marietta.

Hammack said Colquitt County will take two basketball teams and one floor hockey team to the state Games.

Hammack said Colquitt County Special Olympics continues to be supported by Burger King, the Kiwanis Club, the Civitan Club, student volunteers from Colquitt County High School and more than 50 other volunteers from the community.