South Bend Cubs Host 2025 Special Olympics Polar Plunge on February 22

SOUTH BEND, IN – The unofficial kickoff to the South Bend Cubs season begins with a splash! Four Winds Field will host the 9th annual South Bend Polar Plunge on Saturday, February 22 to benefit Special Olympics Indiana. The Cubs front office have a plunge team fans can donate to, or they can join the plunge and register as an individual or as a team online.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TO PLUNGE OR TO DONATE

All participants who raise the minimum $99.00 for Special Olympics Indiana will receive an official Polar Plunge event t-shirt and cup, with additional prizes and incentives offered to those who raise more. Individuals who go beyond in their efforts to support the Polar Plunge by raising a minimum of $4,000 are eligible to be recognized as Super Plungers. Eighteen individuals earned this distinction in 2024.

Fans who donate $50 or more to the South Bend Cubs team plunge will be entered to win an outdoor suite to a 2025 South Bend Cubs game (valid April 8 – May 8) which includes up to 16 tickets and the opportunity to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO THE SOUTH BEND CUBS PLUNGE

Jumping into a freezing pool or natural body of water in the middle of winter may seem like a crazy idea, but over the past 25 years, thousands upon thousands of supporters have risen to the challenge, braved the elements, and made Special Olympics Indiana's annual Polar Plunge a huge success. This year 19 Polar Plunge events will be held at 15 venues across the state with a statewide goal of raising $1 million to help make a lasting difference in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities. To date, the Polar Plunge has generated over $11 million in support of Special Olympics Indiana’s year-round programs and events.

“The Polar Plunge truly is a bucket-list event, and we are thankful to everyone who makes the leap each year to lend their support to the 19,000 adults and children with intellectual disabilities within our programs,” said Special Olympics Indiana President and CEO Jeff Mohler.

“Each year, the South Bend Polar Plunge gets bigger and bigger,” said South Bend Cubs Assistant General Manager for Marketing & Media Chris Hagstrom-Jones. “In 2024, we had our largest plunge to date with over 130 participants, raising more than $50,000. Whether fans join the plunge themselves or donate to our South Bend Cubs team, we want to break that record again and kickoff the baseball season with a splash!”

The South Bend Polar Plunge will take place at the 1st Source Bank Performance Center. Registration begins inside the Performance Center beginning at 10:30 a.m. with the event beginning at 11:30 a.m. Participants are encouraged to arrive early to help speed up the check-in process. Plunging will begin at 12:00 p.m., followed by the After-Splash Bash. The community is encouraged to attend whether you are a participant or a Special Olympics Indiana supporter.

About Special Olympics Indiana

Special Olympics Indiana is a nonprofit organization that is part of the global Special Olympics movement, created by the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation for the benefit of persons with intellectual disabilities. Its vision is an inclusive world, driven by the power of sport, through which people with intellectual disabilities live active, healthy, and fulfilling lives. Learn more by visiting www.soindiana.org.

About the South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs are the High-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Over the past 35 seasons, the team has won five Midwest League titles, most recently in 2022, and captured nine division titles. In 2023, the organization was selected as the Single-A Bob Freitas Award recipient by Baseball America. Four Winds Field, home of the South Bend Cubs, was voted Best High-A ballpark in the country by Ballpark Digest in 2022 and 2023, having also won the award as a Low-A ballpark in 2017. In 2019, the South Bend Cubs hosted the final Midwest League All-Star Game. In 2015 the team was named Ballpark Digest's Team of the Year and received the John H. Johnson President's Award, the highest award in minor league baseball. The team is owned and operated by Swing-Batter-Swing, LLC whose principal shareholder is Andrew T. Berlin of Chicago, Ill.