SPORTSCOPE : UCLA Will Play Host to Special Olympics

More than 2,100 athletes will compete in the California Special Olympics Summer Games June 21-23 at UCLA. Admission is free. Parking is $4.

Opening ceremonies, featuring a parade, celebrities and musical entertainment, will be at 6:30 p.m. June 21 at Drake Stadium.

Competition in aquatics, athletics, basketball, gymnastics, softball and tennis will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 22 and from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. June 23 at various sites on campus. Bowling will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 22 at Little Tokyo Bowl, 333 S. Alameda St., Los Angeles.

Closing ceremonies will be at 3 p.m. June 23 at Drake Stadium. Awards will be given to the most inspirational athlete and the outstanding coach.

California Special Olympics is a nonprofit organization that provides year-round sports training and competition for children and adults with mental retardation.

Sixteen teams will compete in the annual Fairfax High basketball tournament on July 18-20 at the school.

Opening games on July 18 are Gardena-La Puente Nogales, 1 p.m.; Culver City-Newhall Hart, 2 p.m.; Lynwood-Taft, 3 p.m.; Santa Clara-Pius X, 4 p.m.; Banning-Fairfax, 6 p.m.; Westchester-Bell, 7 p.m.; Bishop Montgomery-La Canada, 8 p.m. and St. Monica-Alhambra, 9 p.m.

Games start at 1 p.m. July 19 and at 11 a.m. July 20. On July 21, the consolation final will be at 11 a.m. and the championship game at 3:30 p.m.

Fairfax, St. Monica and Westchester have also entered the first Artesia Summer Basketball Shootout tournament, July 5-7 at Artesia and Lakewood high schools.