S.A.A.C. Hosts Special Olympics Basketball Tournament

2013 Special Olympics Basketball Tournament
Posted: Mar 23, 2013

BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College Student-Athlete Advisory Committee hosts a Special Olympics basketball tournament Saturday in the Timothy Breidegam Fieldhouse.

Both the Bethlehem and Lehigh County chapters sent over 40 Special Olympic athletes to Moravian to play in the 5v5 and 3v3 tournament. Over 50 Moravian student-athletes were on hand and worked as referees and keeping scores for the tournament. With a bye in the 3v3 tournament, the team on the bye spent time working with Moravian's SAAC members on basketball skills.

The Moravian student-athletes also spent time on the sidelines cheering for the event and providing concessions for the athletes.

"It was a great event and we look forward to expanding the tournament next year," explained Moravian Head Women's Volleyball Coach & SAAC Advisor Shelley Bauder.

Click here to view a photo gallery from Saturday's tournament.

"As I walked around the courts this afternoon, I could not have been more proud of our athletes and their enthusiastic interaction with the Special Olympic basketball players," Bauder stated. "SAAC president Ericka Blair spearheaded this inaugural event and was instrumental in developing what we hope will be a long standing partnership with our neighboring Special Olympics teams. The Special Olympic athletes, coaches and parents were thrilled to be on our campus and so appreciative of our Hound.

"I would like to publicly thank our SAAC members, their teammates and the sorority members from ASA for giving of themselves and engaging in the lives of these Special Olympic athletes," Bauder finished.

 

About the NCAA Division III Special Olympics Initiative

NCAA Division III has entered into a national partnership with Special Olympics. The purpose of the partnership is to improve the lives of Special Olympics athletes through their involvement with Division III student-athletes and to foster a mutual learning experience between Division III student-athletes and Special Olympics athletes.

Through this partnership, Division III student-athletes across the country will be encouraged to participate in existing Special Olympics events, create their own events, or otherwise serve to support Special Olympics organization. The activities pursued by student-athletes will vary in each state and region, tailored to best utilize the student-athletes' time and local resources.

Service activities with Special Olympic athletes could range from sports clinics to bowling, pizza parties or fundraising efforts.

This partnership provides the opportunity for student-athletes to engage with Special Olympics and collaborate with existing student-led programs on campus.