Hibbing/Chisholm Rangers Special Olympics Team is Ready for Some Football!
Hibbing – The 2026 flag football season for the Hibbing/Chisholm Rangers Special Olympics team kicked off with a hot, muggy, afternoon start Sunday July 26, on the grass field next to Cheever Field at Dr. Ben Owens Stadium in Hibbing, but the heat in the air couldn’t match the warmth in the smiles of the athletes as they welcomed each other to a new season.
The Hibbing/Chisholm Rangers, now in its 16th year in its current format, is a Special Olympics team that competes in Track and Field, Tennis, Basketball, Bowling, and Flag Football. The football season runs from the end of July to the state meet in October and gives athletes two different ways to take part, either as part of a competitive team or in skills competitions, being judged on running, passing, and catching ability.
The Rangers play one regular-season game against their friendly rivals, the Road Runners, based in the Virginia area, in September, with the game played in a supporter’s front yard before both teams enjoy a meal and a chance to catch up.
Sunday’s start of football camp, now in its sixth season under head coach Jesse Fisher, consisted of some light catching, throwing, and running drills. All the teasing about dropped passes and short throws you would expect when friends get together, and some encouraging and impressed cheering when a better-than-expected pass is unleashed deep over someone’s head.
Rangers coordinator Renee Heino said that finding athletes who want to take part in the Special Olympics isn’t a problem; it is harder to find volunteer coaches and helpers to make the program possible. Heino went on to say that volunteers don’t need to be experts in a game or field; they just need to be willing to help out, enjoy the friendship, and celebrate the skills of some very special athletes.
Practices rarely, if ever, take more than two hours a week, and newcomers are always welcome.
If you would be interested in volunteering or finding out more about the programs, Heino encourages people to reach out through the Hibbing/Chisholm Rangers Facebook page messenger or to email her at renee03hop@gmail.com
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