Volunteers are needed to cheer on athletes at the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles. The annual event will take place from July 25 to Aug. 2.

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles encourages everyone to help fill the stands and create a supportive atmosphere for those competing. Organizers of the event are looking for team captains who will be responsible for recruiting 10 or more people to come support the athletes during competition.

Team captains must be at least 14-years-old, and the teams must be available for at least four hours during one day or evening of competition.

The 2015 Games will bring together 7,000 athletes with disabilities who hail from 170 countries around the world. The Olympic sports will include swimming, gymnastics, track and field, basketball and soccer. The last World Summer Games were held in Athens, Greece, in 2011.

Game organizers write that the event is a way for spectators and volunteers to change their preconception about people with disabilities:

“Getting involved with the Games by cheering from the stands or handing out cups of water to thirsty athletes is a sure way to change your view of people of all kinds.”

To learn more about being a fan in the stands, please visit la2015.org/volunteer/fans-in-the-stands or email [email protected].