By KALEY CONNER

kconner@dailynews.net

At age 14, Rebecca Huse already is a winter Special Olympic veteran. But Thursday afternoon, she traded her skis for gold and blue pom-poms.

The Huse family relocated to Hays from Colorado in July, and the teenager made her Kansas debut with the ARC of the Central Plains Buffalos as a cheerleader. She took up her new sport with gusto, embellishing the routine with several kicks and nearly perfect leg splits at the end.

"I like to compete because it's fun," Huse said. "I can't stop saying that."

Kansas' 40th annual Special Olympics games kicked off Thursday afternoon, with traditional ceremonies that evening.

The games will continue through Saturday, with events at Fort Hays State University's Gross Memorial Coliseum, Hays Recreation Commission and Hays High School.

So far, the Hays Buffalos are off to a good start. The nine-person cheerleading squad earned a gold medal in its division. Nineteen Kansas teams participated in the event.

"Down, down, down the court! Up, up, up the score! Two points more!" the team chanted in front of a panel of FHSU cheerleaders.

The girls had been practicing weekly since January. Needless to say, the hard work paid off.

Each team member received a shiny gold medal, and there was much celebration. However, several athletes were quick to say the event is about much more than winning medals.

"I just like to cheer with all the girls and be with them," said Trudi Mapes, who has competed in cheerleading twice. "I'm just happy to be here."

The Hays team also had two athletes compete in individual skills Thursday, and five basketball teams are set to compete Friday and Saturday.

About 1,600 Kansas athletes and coaches were expected to compete in Hays this weekend.

As for Huse, her latest gold medal will be a treasured addition to her collection. She began competing at age 8 and has garnered three gold medals and one silver for skiing.

"My favorite part is getting the medals, having fun and meeting new people," she said. "That's what I'm here for is to meet new people and have fun."