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Florida Special Olympics shoot hoops at Eglin

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Mike Meares
  • 96th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  The Special Olympics Florida athletes stormed Eglin Air Force Base Friday and Saturday for the 2008 Northwest Sectional basketball tournament.

For 24 years, Eglin has been involved with the Special Olympics. The Company Grade Officer Council sponsored this year's event. More than 350 athletes and coaches from Okaloosa, Walton, Jackson, Gadsden, Leon, Hamilton, Columbia, Escambia and Taylor counties participated in the sectional tournament.

The event kicked off with a ceremony and a night of bowling at the Eglin bowling alley. This year's guest speaker was Kevin Greene, a retired National Football League linebacker with a distinguished career. He made sure the athletes were ready and told them by having the courage to step out on that court and give it their all - they are all winners.

Then, the teams stepped out on the court with one goal in mind -- win.

"The most important ingredient for the success of the Special Olympics basketball tournament is the attitude of the athletes," said 1st Lt. Geoffrey Dobson, Company Grade Officer Council project officer. "They stand by their oath, 'Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.' Each athlete leaves Eglin a winner!"

While the tournament was going on throughout the two-day period, volunteers from the fire department and security forces had hands-on displays. The athletes and their families were also treated to a carnival of games and food.

"When they have a smile on their face, it makes it all worth it," Lieutenant Dobson said. "Months of work all pay off for the thousands of smiles you get over the course of the weekend."

The teams and individuals who won first place advance to the State Basketball Tournament in Orlando March 7 through 8. The four teams advancing to the state in exhibition games are the Walton Braves, the Okaloosa Wildcats, the Escambia Patriots and the Leon Aces.

Advancing to the state tournament at the Champions Sports Complex are:
Taylor Bulldogs, Traditional Masters Division 4 team
Okaloosa Sharks, Traditional Senior Division 4 team
Escambia Predators Unified Master Division 3 team
Leon Lincoln Trojans, traditional Senior Division 3 team
The Columbia Lady Tigers, Team Skills Senior Division team
The Walton Redbirds, Team Skills Master Division team
The Gadsden Red Bulls, Team Skills Peewee/Junior Division team

In 1968, the first International Special Olympics Games was organized at Soldier Field, Chicago, in the belief that the lessons these athletes learned through sports would translate into new competence and success in school, in the workplace and in the community.

Today, Special Olympics Inc. is the world's largest provider of fitness training, education and athletic competition -- coupled with social, life and leadership skill development opportunities -- for children and adults with intellectual disabilities or similar developmental disabilities. Special Olympics Florida, an accredited program of Special Olympics Inc., was founded in 1972 and is one of the largest volunteer-driven athletic organizations in the state.

The Special Olympics Florida is a non-profit organization who provides year-round sports training and competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for people with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in the sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community. To learn more about the Special Olympics Florida, visit their Website at www.sofl.org.