Lee County Special Olympics will host the inaugural Flag Football Iron Bowl between the Lee County Tigers and the Tuscaloosa Tide on Saturday, April 5 at 10 a.m. at the Shug Jordan Fields off Shug Jordan Parkway. Admission is $5 and children 5 and under are FREE.

All proceeds from the event support the Special Olympics athletes of Lee and Tuscaloosa counties. Tickets will be available in advance at the Harris Center, 425 Perry Street, and the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 East Glenn Avenue, and may be purchased weekdays from 8 a.m. ­ 5 p.m. Game day ticket sales begin at 9 a.m.

The first 100 fans through the gates Saturday morning will receive a FREE tiger tail, courtesy of the Auburn-Opelika Tourism Bureau. Meet with the Auburn University cheerleaders before kick-off and enjoy a special visit with Aubie! Fans will also have a chance to meet Special Olympics athletes representing Lee County at the National Special Olympics Games being held in June. This summer, 20 Lee County Special Olympics (LCSO) athletes and coaches will travel to Princeton, NJ to represent the State of Alabama at the National Games. Lee County’s gold medal basketball team will compete against teams from across the US for the title. Funds raised from the inaugural Special Olympics Flag Football Iron Bowl will support athletes in their quest for the gold at National Games.

Special Olympics flag football is a non-contact sport featuring athletes competing with unified partners (athletes without intellectual disabilities) on a 60-yard playing field. As in tackle football, a touchdown is worth six points and a safety is worth two points. An extra point attempt from the 5-yard line is worth one point while attempts from the 10-yard line are worth two points. The winner of this year’s inaugural game will receive a traveling trophy and retain bragging rights for the next year.

For more information, visit www.auburnalabama.org/parks or follow Lee County Special Olympics on Facebook at www.facebook.com/specialolympicsalleeco.