TWednesday, the Special Olympics basketball program hosted its annual “Pack the Stands” game in the main gym on Wednesday. The game lived up to the excitement of previous years’ games, with a 67-57 victory for the student athletes over the volunteer staff team. The game helped raise awareness for Special Olympics, while also creating memories for the athletes to last a lifetime.

Currently, the program is divided up into three teams based on the student’s skill and ability: the black and gold teams, along with the unified team, which includes the most high-functioning athletes, as well as their regular peers. With additional support from student volunteers, this creates a community where the athletes can foster positive relationships and bond, while working on their own respective goals, whether it be mentally, physically, or socially.

“I like basketball and playing for my high school,” senior Michael Mueller said.

In the first half, the black and gold teams alternated and got off to a hot start with a 43-32 lead over the staff at halftime. Although the second half saw a significant rally for the staff, the unified team powered through to get the eventual 67-57 win for the athletes.

“It was fun to play with all my friends and I was excited,” sophomore Emily DeAngelo said.

While it is easy to see this as another regular season game, it provided the opportunity for the athletes to get varsity level treatment. This included individual player introductions, music, and the cheer team performing to give extra motivation. Along with a large number of family members and friends showing school spirit, this gave a unique and exciting atmosphere that may not be found during the average game.

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Brittany Coates

“It’s about our community. Our school has really promoted the cohesion and bringing everyone together, and we just want to build by having a group of students that love engaging in these types of events no matter what their abilities are,” head coach Dwain Ackerman said.

Overall, the athletes played to the best of their abilities and showed strong chemistry throughout the entire game. With an enthusiastic crowd in attendance, this event helped raise awareness for Special Olympics throughout the entire school, and created excitement for the athletes by playing on a larger stage than usual.

“It’s not just us, it’s also about Special Olympics as a whole. The fact that we’re able to raise awareness for doing this is a big part of Special Olympics itself. For our team, it’s just another game for us and a chance to bond together,” junior Thomas Kuhn said.