Muhammad Ali's daughter, Khaliah, to attend Special Olympics program

Sep. 29—Khaliah Ali, daughter of Muhammad Ali, will revisit her Schuylkill County roots this weekend when she returns to the county to support the Special Olympics flag football game.

As a child, Ali lived on and off at Fighter's Heaven, her father's former training camp near Deer Lake.

She has fond memories of her time there, as the camp provided a place of calm and repose for the family. In particular, she remembers relaxing on the Jack Johnson rock and praying with her father in the mosque.

"It was very quiet, and no one really bothered us there," she said.

Her father trained at the camp for several of his famous bouts from 1972 through the end of his boxing career in 1980.

Ali, now 48, aims to further her father's legacy by taking part in various charity efforts, including in Schuylkill County.

Ali will be on hand for the Schuylkill County Special Olympics flag football game this Saturday, cheering on the players.

"I'm looking forward to meeting new people, making friends and getting to know all these kids," Ali said.

The public is invited to the game, which will begin at 10 a.m. at Penn State Schuylkill's auxiliary soccer field. The Schuylkill County team will play the Monroe County Special Olympics flag football team.

Ali, who lives in the Philadelphia area, has been involved in charity work all her life. She lends her efforts to a variety of disciplines and causes and is a board member for several national nonprofits, including Help USA, the Natural Public Housing Museum and the Juvenile Law Center.

Ali met Jordan Green, the Special Olympics flag football coach, during a visit to Fighter's Heaven in 2020. The two bonded over their interest in charity work, and Ali was struck by the breadth of community involvement in the area demonstrated by the Green family and others.

"I was very inspired by Jordan Green's work because he really was creating a legacy of his own," she said. "He's doing such a good job ... He's such a motivational and inspirational speaker and a great coach, and I was happy to come up and help him in any way."

Ali has participated in a few Special Olympics programs over the years, but Saturday's event will be her first experience with the Schuylkill County division. She looks forward to a fun, exciting time with all of the Schuylkill and Monroe participants.

Ali has visited Fighter's Heaven several times, most recently on Sept. 24 during a visit with the camp's owner, Mike Madden.

"I look forward to the years to come, and to participate in these organizations and further my father's legacy by being a part of your community," Ali said. "I'll always be a part of it."

Ali's visit on Saturday will come just two weeks after former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Freddie Mitchell attended the Special Olympics' inaugural flag football game against Blue Mountain School District.

"We're trying to shift the dynamics of the culture by bringing in young people, like (Ali), to help spread awareness," Green said.

Green said there is no better feeling than to help the kids and watch them enjoy themselves, an experience he calls the "real rich."

Saturday's game marks a special occasion for the Schuylkill County flag football players, as it represents their first "unified" game in which they play a fellow Special Olympics opponent, sports leader Mark Mamrosh said.

"We're going to make the Monroe County team feel a part of Schuylkill County," he said. "We're not trying to separate them."

In true football spirit, the Schuylkill and Monroe players will make their entrance by running out of a smoke-filled tunnel before the game.

The Schuylkill County flag football team is composed of about 20 Special Olympics members from bocce ball, swimming, basketball and other teams.

"The most important thing is the feeling of accomplishment for all of the athletes," Mamrosh said. "This brings out the positive nature, and that's why I love it."

Athletes and cheerleaders from Nativity BVM High School, Blue Mountain School District, Pottsville Area School District, Schuylkill Haven Area School District and Penn State Schuylkill will also be at the game to cheer on the players.

After the football game, those who would like to further support the Schuylkill County Special Olympics can attend the program's inaugural Fall Festival, which begins at noon Saturday at the Little League field in New Philadelphia. The event will feature live music, carnival games, children's activities and more than 20 food and ware vendors.

The Schuylkill County Special Olympics, part of the Greater Lehigh Valley-Pocono Region branch of Special Olympics Pennsylvania, offers a year-round variety of programs for sports such as basketball, swimming, bocce ball, softball and bowling. Anyone interested in volunteering for the organization or registering an athlete can contact Team Schuylkill program director Chris Ebling at schcountyso@gmail.com or Mamrosh at schuylkillsportsleadersopa@gmail.com.

For the full schedule of flag football events, visit the Schuylkill County Special Olympics Facebook page.

Contact the writer: hlee@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6085