Contact: Mark Albanese, Director of Sports Communication
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TACOMA, Wash. - The Pacific Lutheran University athletic department and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) enjoyed a record turnout on Jan. 21 as it hosted the sixth annual Special Olympics Basketball Clinic inside Olson Gymnasium.
Over 70 Special Olympics athletes from Metro Parks Tacoma and Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) participated in the 2017 event, continuing a PLU SAAC tradition that started in January 2012. The 70 participants was PLU's highest turnout in the six year history of the event, doubling the size of the 2016 event.
"Getting to hang out with the athletes was such an incredible experience," said volleyball student-athlete Mackenzie Harris. "It was so fun to see how the love of playing sports and competing can bring so many people together in one place and create opportunities for the Special Olympics athletes and PLU athletes to build new friendships."
The NCAA Division III and Special Olympics have a national partnership that began in 2011, with the purpose of enhancing the lives of Div. III student-athletes and Special Olympics athletes through a mutual learning experience; providing a platform for recognition of Special Olympics and Div. III athletes within their communities and raising awareness of Special Olympics, its programs and services.
"With this being my first time working the Special Olympics basketball clinic I wasn't sure what to expect, but the friendliness of the athletes made it so easy and so rewarding," said men's soccer student-athlete Bennett Bugbee. "Being a collegiate athlete, I can get caught up in the competitive side of sports but seeing the joy PLU athletes and Special Olympics had just being with each other and being active reminded me of the reason I fell in love with sports."
Participants of the clinic will return to campus on Saturday, Feb. 11, playing an exhibition scrimmage at halftime of both the men's and women's basketball games against Whitman College. The doubleheader inside Olson Gymnasium begins at 4 p.m.
"Working with the Special Olympics athletes was a delight," said women's track & field student-athlete Charene Stovall. "There is nothing better than seeing the smiles on their faces as they went through drills and played games, and I was truly amazed by the amount of talent that many of the athletes displayed on the court. I'm excited to watch them play during halftime of the men's and women's basketball games on Feb. 11."
PLU has assisted in numerous Special Olympics events throughout the academic year in addition to the annual basketball clinic. The women's basketball team hosted Special Olympics bowling on Oct. 29 while the baseball team conducted a Special Olympics football event at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup on Nov. 20.
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