VALPARAISO | Coaches rifled through their folders for papers revealing competition brackets as they stood on the sidelines shouting plays to their teams. Fans sat on bleachers with signs bearing the words "defense!" and "rebound!"
It was tough competition at Valparaiso University's Athletics-Recreation Center on Saturday as about 250 members of the Northern Indiana Special Olympics Basketball League competed to qualify for the state tournament.
Jim MacKenzie, co-director of the tournament and coach of the Porter County Hoosiers team, said the competition involves ages 8 to 18 for those in Lake, Porter, Marshall, Starke, LaPorte, Elkhart and St. Joseph counties. It incudes three-on-three games, five-on-five games, skills competitions and unified sports.
"We are the only basketball league for Special Olympics outside of Indianapolis, and this year, Special Olympics in Indiana celebrates its 40th anniversary," MacKenzie said.
The competition brings much more than a simple win or trip to a state tournament. For these athletes, the name of the game is building skills.
"This builds the athletes' confidence, character, and gives them an overwhelming sense of belonging, which is important because that allows them to interact and to be more powerful when they go out into the world. I couldn't be prouder of my kids," Shelly Volk, coach of The Starters, the two-time three-on-three team state champion.
Marge Moravec, coach of the Lake County Hot Wings three-on-three team, said her son Bobby Moravec has Down syndrome and is a great athlete on her team.
"He just loves it. It has enabled him to talk to anybody about sports, and we watch games together on television," she said.
Lorrie Woycik, Porter County coordinator for the tournament, says Valparaiso University's donation of the school's facility and staff is meaningful to the Special Olympics, and also is a big deal for the teams.
"For our athletes to use a facility like this, it makes them believers of the I can spirit, and more importantly, it shows others the I can spirit. It levels the playing field," Woycik said.
The leveling of the playing field is critical to the players, MacKenzie said.
"They realize that sometimes their disabilities don't make them disabled. Everyone is equal here," MacKenzie said.
