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Kickoff Party and Opening Ceremony

Join us June 26th at the Meijer Sports Complex for the 2026 Kickoff Party and Opening Ceremony! The Opening Ceremony will begin with the athlete parade to recognize the athletes getting ready to compete. We’ll officially start the Games with the lighting of the cauldron.

Admission: Free for athletes and spectators
Parking at the Meijer Sports Complex, cost is $5
Note: Parking is NOT available at the Miracle League Field. The lot will not be open to athletes and spectators.

Kickoff Party starts at 6:30 pm.
Opening Ceremony starts at 7:30 pm

Meijer Sports Complex
3300 10 Mile Rd NE
Rockford, MI 49341

Kickoff Party

Athlete Check-in sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield

Athletes stop by athlete check-in to grab your athlete bag and credential.

Hockey athletes - you will get your bag and credential when you check in for your first game at your venue.

Note: you do not need to stop by athlete check-in to compete during the weekend.

Athlete check-in starts at 6:30 pm.

Opening Ceremony

Athlete parade line up will start at 7:15 pm (announcements will be made) and the Opening Ceremony starts at 7:30 pm.

Athlete Parade

Athletes have the opportunity to represent their sport as they parade into Opening Ceremony. Entrance into Opening Ceremony will be done in sport alphabetical order.

Orissa kelly - foot archer

In 2026, we are excited to welcome Orissa Kelly, world renowned foot archery extraordinare! Orissa Kelly is one of the world’s only fire foot‑archery performers, evolving from a Great Britain–trained gymnast into a record‑breaking global sensation. Her self‑taught foot‑archery act—developed through months of intense daily training—has taken her across the world, including performances for Queen Elizabeth II, the Jennifer Hudson Show, and a feature in the Hollywood film Wonder Woman. As a Guinness World Record holder, she brings an explosive blend of athleticism, artistry, and danger that audiences rarely get to witness live. With millions of followers captivated by her unbelievable precision and daring stunts, Orissa’s shows consistently leave crowds breathless. If you’re looking for a performance that’s thrilling, unforgettable, and truly one‑of‑a‑kind, come experience Orissa Kelly at Opening Ceremony—because seeing her talent up close is where the magic becomes undeniable.

Take a look at the Olympians & Paralympians joining us in 2026!

Olympians Attending Opening Ceremony

John Kusku, 1-time Paralympic Goalball Medalist

John Kusku is a math and physics teacher at the Oakland Schools Technical Campus Southwest in Wixom, Michigan. He teaches high school juniors and seniors from several different school districts in Southwest Oakland County. He is legally blind due to a degenerative hereditary eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa. He earned his master’s degree in mathematics in 2009 from Western Michigan University. Kusku’s eleven-year-old son, George, is in sixth grade and Kusku’s wife, Jessica, is a teacher of children who are blind or visually impaired. Kusku is a Paralympic silver medalist in the sport of goalball.

Although no longer on the National Team, he continues to compete with his Michigan team, winning Bronze at the Goalball National Championships in August 2024. Kusku has taken up cross country ski racing as well as biathlon. He has raced in Meijer State Games of Michigan Races, MI Cup races, and many others outside of Michigan. He has also run two goalball tournaments as part of the Meijer State Games.

He has worked in many mentoring roles for young people who are blind or visually impaired, as well as their parents and teachers. He serves in the following volunteer roles:

  • Vice President, Michigan Blind Athletic Association

  • President, Michigan Chapter of the Foundation Fighting Blindness

  • Goalball Representative, Team USA Athletes Commission

  • Athlete Member, US Olympic/Paralympic Committee Medical Research Review Group

  • Goalball Consultant, University of Michigan Adaptive Sports & Inclusive Recreation Initiative

Gary Morgan, USA National Race Walker

Morgan’s hometown is Clarkston, Michigan. Morgan competed in every US Olympic trial from 1984-2004 as a race walker. Including the 1988 Olympic Games, Gary has competed on 17 National Teams that included World Championships, Pan Am Games, Goodwill Games, World Cup and various other teams, and he carried the Olympic torch in 1996 and 2002. He has run or walked over 60 marathons, including those in New York, Boston, Chicago, Kilimanjaro, & Antarctica. Known as Mr. Ubiquitous, Morgan encourages everyone he meets to ‘LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST’

Jayci Simon, 1-time Paralympic Badminton Medalist

Simon’s hometown is St. John’s Michigan. At the age of seven, Simon was diagnosed with Geleophysic Dysplasia, a rare form of Dwarfism. Despite doctors saying she could no longer continue to play sports again, Simon continued to play basketball, soccer and softball. At age 10, Simon was introduced to Badminton, where she began to practice in her backyard. Three years later, winning a silver medal in Women’s Doubles in her first ever international tournament in 2018.

Nick Baumgartner, 1-Time Olympic Snowboarding Gold Medalist

Baumgartner, a proud UP-er, grew up in Iron River, Michigan where he exceled in three high school sports: football, wrestling, and track and field. At the age of 15, he picked up snowboarding, and after one semester at Northern Michigan, he decided to drop out of college and fully pursue a professional career in the sport he had grown to love. Snowboard cross was the perfect mix of his two favorite sports: snowboarding and football, and he found great success in his endeavors.

In 2011, Baumgartner became an X Games snowboard cross champion, and he medaled at several World Championships. Additionally, Baumgartner competed in five Winter Olympic Games, earning a gold medal in the mixed team snowboarding cross event at the Beijing Winter Games in 2022. This gold medal made him the oldest medalist in Olympic snowboard history. In his time outside of snowboarding, Baumgartner enjoys spending time in the UP with his son.

Kevin Miller, 1-Time Ice Hockey Olympian

Miller, a Lansing, Michigan native, grew up playing hockey for the Redford Royals in the Great Lakes Junior League. He then went on to play four seasons for the Michigan State Hockey Team, earning various honors throughout his career, including MSU Rookie of the Year and Honorable Mention All-American. After his time at MSU, Miller played in the NHL for over ten years, competing for the Detroit Red Wings for three seasons during that time. Miller was also a part of Team USA in the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. Additionally, Miller represented the United States internationally in the 1992 Canada Cup and the 1991, 1998, and 2003 World Championships.

Kelly Salchow MacArthur, 2-Time Rowing Olympian

Salchow MacArthur began rowing at the age of 14 and immediately fell in love with it, and upon graduating from high school, Salchow MacArthur made the junior national team. Then after she graduated from college, she made the senior national team in 1998. This led to her first Olympics, the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, where she was a member of the United States National Women’s Rowing Team. She also made the team for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. Salchow MacArthur and her team finished fifth place in both Olympic appearances.

After retiring from rowing in 2005, Salchow MacArthur had the opportunity to dive into her graphic design career, and she is now a Professor of Graphic Design in the Department of Art, Art History, and Design at Michigan State University. However, while her career in rowing was over, Salchow MacArthur’s time with the Olympics was not over. She was selected to be one of the six Olympic and Paralympic artists in residence at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games, and she was again selected for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games project as well. During her time in Paris, Salchow MacArthur worked on community projects and creative workshops, allowing her to connect her loves for art, the Olympics, and community into one project.

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