When Mississippi’s Special Olympians board a train Thursday to go to the first-ever Special Olympics USA National Games, Warren County’s delegation may need its own car.

Ten people from the county – eight athletes and two coaches – will head to Ames, Iowa, for the Games. The weeklong event, held at Iowa State University, will include more than 3,000 athletes from across the nation competing in 13 sports. The top athletes in each event can also qualify for the Special Olympics World Games, held next year in Shanghai, China.

&#8220I would love to go to the world games. I went once and had fun, and I’d love to go again,” said 26-year-old swimmer Kristen Byrum.

Byrum participated in the 1999 World Games in North Carolina along with five other members of the Area 10 delegation. Michael Halloran, a 31-year-old swimmer, also went, as did Fabian Burks, Stewart Stevens and Robert Jackson.

Burks, Stevens and Jackson competed in track at the 1999 World Games, but will play softball this time around. Burks said he prefers the slower pace of softball.

&#8220Definitely softball. Track, they don’t give you a break,” the 26-year-olds Burks said with a laugh.

Another Area 10 athlete, Ladell Butler, will also play on the softball team. Butler, Burks, Stevens and Jackson make up nearly a third of the 13-player softball roster for the Mississippi team.

The other athletes participating in the National Games from Warren County are 17-year-old bowler Markita Reed and 30-year-old swimmer Beth Ann Sullender. Coaches Diane Scallions and Sandy Hearn also will attend.

Athletes tried out for the National Games during a summer Special Olympics camp in June 2005. They were selected based on both skill and attitude. Eight of the 12 athletes from Area 10 who tried out for the Mississippi team were picked for the National Games.

&#8220This is the first time Special Olympics has ever done this. They used to just have the World Games,” Hearn said. &#8220Doing this gives other athletes more of a chance to participate.”