For the past five years, there hasn’t been an IHSA Special Olympics Unified Basketball State Tournament that hasn’t involved two-time state champion Bradley-Bourbonnais.

Now, the Boilermakers are taking their talents nationwide.

When the opening ceremonies for the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games begin in St. Paul on Friday, the unified basketball team for Illinois will be heavy on Boilers, with eight of the 10 members of the team coming from Bradley-Bourbonnais.

Special Olympics athletes Anthony Boyce, Josh Danta, Jeremiah Jones and Zyire McCoffin will be joined by partners Calvin Kohl, Georgia Kohl, Sam LaMore and Isabelle Trudeau to represent Bradley-Bourbonnais. They’ll be joined by Andrew Special Olympics athlete Osazuwa “Osaze” Ikponmwosa, and partner Grayden Alexander to comprise team Illinois.

There may be some nerves and jitters as the team makes its final preparations. And no one could blame them, with opening ceremonies featuring performances from big names like Demi Lovato and Jon Batiste, followed by a tournament that features athletes from all 50 states and streamed on ESPN+.

But coach Duke Wilson, also the coach at Bradley-Bourbonnais, said the team is more excited than anything.

“I think excitement is the No. 1 emotion they’re feeling,” Wilson said. “It’s a pretty incredible opportunity for them, and I told them it’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing where this happens once every four years, and not only do we get to represent our school, but the state of Illinois, and getting to show what unified basketball is about. The excitement comes from the unknown of never going to the event before and the scale of it.”

The Special Olympics USA Games will host competitions for thousands of athletes from all 50 states in 16 sports: athletics (track and field), basketball, bocce, bowling, competitive cheerleading, cornhole, flag football, golf, gymnastics, pickleball, powerlifting, soccer, swimming, tennis and volleyball.

There are also local athletes headed to the Bloomington-Normal area for the Special Olympics Illinois Summer Games this weekend. Local athletes from Bradley-Bourbonnais, River Valley Special Recreation in Bradley and Good Shepherd Manor in Momence will compete in artistic gymnastics, athletics, cornhole, powerlifting, rhythmic gymnastics, soccer and swimming.