The Show

Meet this Arizona athlete competing in golf at the Special Olympics USA Games

KJZZ | By Lauren Gilger

Published June 18, 2026 at 1:01 PM MST

Man in cap holds up yellow and black shows to the camera — Corey Paskvan

The Special Olympics USA Games kick off this weekend in Minneapolis. It’s the world’s largest sports competition for people with intellectual disabilities.

And this year, it will feature 3,000 athletes, 1,500 coaches and 10,000 volunteers from across the country. Arizona is sending a delegation of 133 athletes competing in 11 sports — from basketball and powerlifting, to cheer and golf.

And that last category is where Corey Paskvan will try to make his mark.

Full conversation

COREY PASKVAN: My uncle Bill taught me how to golf a long time ago and it got me into golf.

LAUREN GILGER: Corey Paskvan has autism and has been playing golf since he was 18. But he’s a jack-of-all-trades athlete, really. When he came into our studios to talk more about it, he was wearing an array of medals around his neck from past competitions.

What other competitions have you done in the past? You’re wearing a lot of medals around your neck right now.

COREY PASKVAN: I’m wearing a, I’ve done swimming, track and field, basketball.

LAUREN GILGER: Leading up to the Special Olympics, he’s been practicing a lot.

Have you gotten a lot better over the years?

COREY PASKVAN: Yeah. I got a lot better over the years.

LAUREN GILGER: How? How are you getting better? What are you working on?

COREY PASKVAN: Driving and chipping, putting, with my coach Chris, and he’s teaching me how to get better at all, all that.

LAUREN GILGER: In Special Olympics golf, players with disabilities like Corey compete with what’s called a unified partner. The idea here is to underline the Special Olympics principle of meaningful involvement.

Unified partners are of similar age and ability levels as the athletes competing, and make sure they truly contribute to their team’s performance. Paskvan’s unified partner is named Eric.

COREY PASKVAN: To see how good I get the ball close to the hole for Eric to make the putt, because that’s what me and coach Chris have been working on.

LAUREN GILGER: Yeah, so you drive it and then your partner makes the putt?

COREY PASKVAN: Yeah, I have to get it close for him.

LAUREN GILGER: And there are some perks to making it to the USA Games this year. It sounds like you get to do some kind of extra fun things this time around. I understand a private jet is involved in this round of the Special Olympics for you?

COREY PASKVAN: Yeah, I’m going on the Cardinals’ private jet to get to Minnesota.

LAUREN GILGER: What’s that going to be like? Are you excited?

COREY PASKVAN: Yeah, I’ve never flown on a private jet before.

LAUREN GILGER: And he got to hit the green with some big names in Arizona sports, including Suns’ superstar Devin Booker.

COREY PASKVAN: I was golfing with Chris Paul and Michael Phelps.

LAUREN GILGER: Wow, I mean, what was that like?

COREY PASKVAN: It was a lot of fun to golf with the pros.

LAUREN GILGER: While Paskvan said he’ll be OK if he doesn’t win this weekend, he was clear about one thing.

COREY PASKVAN: I like winning and bringing home the gold medal.

LAUREN GILGER: But he also told me the Special Olympics pledge, which can remind us all what these games are really all about.

COREY PASKVAN: Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.

LAUREN GILGER: That’s Arizona Special Olympics athlete Corey Paskvan. He is heading to Minnesota this weekend to compete in golf, and we hope he brings home that gold medal.

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