Marshall County Special Olympics basketball teams have been sharpening their basketball skills at non-contact practices since January. As Covid-19 has affected high school sports, the public may not understand the impact on athletes with special needs.
“Normally we have a camp in late September, early October, along with signups”, Coach Jonny Byrd explains. “We start practice November 1st and the season begins the first week of December right after Hoopfest and the Special Olympics State Bowling Tournament. Our athletes don’t react well to change, they’ve been at home unable to do what they love to do. Social interaction is vital to persons with special needs. That’s why Special Olympics is so important to those who compete. It’s not just the competition part, it’s being around extended friends and family.”
“Last season our teams had the best regular season we’d seen in awhile with two Regional Championships and State Tournament births”, Bryd said. “I was listening to the Lady Marshals pre-game while getting in the car to go to the high school for our send off when I got the call from the tournament director that the state tournament was canceled.”
The 2020 State Basketball Tournament was the Special Olympics first COVID cancellation a year ago in Kentucky. While they’re not able to get back to full competition on the hardwood, a new event will fill the gap in 2021. The State Basketball Showcase will hit the court at Mid-America Sports in Louisville March 13th in which teams will compete in various drills such as shooting, dribbling and passing. Each player is scored based on performance and the team with the highest point total wins.
“They tell us due to the inability to test the athletes each week is why we can’t play 5 on 5″, Byrd said. “We’ve had to change practice facilities and can’t travel. It’s been hard on our athletes to see everybody else playing and not us. We are thankful we get to do the Showcase, but I am hopeful that we get back to regular play soon.”
Marshall County High School is planning a send off Friday March 12th at 2:00 p.m. outside in the parking lot with a parade of athletes planned.