Special Olympics Illinois Athletes triumph in state basketball tournament
Lincoln Park District and Illini Central place well

[March 19, 2015]  NORMAL - Special Olympics Illinois crowned its state champions at the State Basketball Tournament March 13-15 at Illinois State University’s Horton Field House, Normal, and Illinois Wesleyan University’s Shirk Center, Bloomington. Nearly 1,600 athletes competed on 135 teams and in individual skills competition at the tournament. View results at http://www.soill.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/2015Basketball-Results.pdf.

Athletes participated in five categories of play and were divisioned within each category based on their age and skill level:

Senior/Male: 65 teams including at least one male player 16 years or older

Female: 18 all-female teams with players 16 years or older

High School: 39 teams with players of high school age

Junior: 13 teams including male and female players under the age of 16

Individual Skills:  About 265 athletes tested their abilities in dribbling, passing and shooting

Young Athletes: 5 Young Athletes aged 6-7 demonstrated their individual skills abilities

To compete in the state tournament, athletes must have completed eight weeks of training. Senior/Male and High School teams qualified through district tournaments in the state.

Local winning participants:

Basketball Senior Female Team Competition
Lincoln Park District Jaguars
Third Place

Result Gill, Elizabeth - Lincoln
Gill, Jennifer - Lincoln
Gill, Katie - Lincoln
Horn, Mary Jayne
Logan, Shirley - Lincoln,
Protz, Alishai - Jacksonville
Rademaker, Ann - Lincoln
Teubnar, Jessica M - Lincoln

Basketball Sr Male Team Competition
Lincoln Park District Cougars
First Place

Becker, Brian - Latham
Crosier, Cory - Lincoln
Crosier, Toby - Lincoln
Crosman, Greg - Lincoln
Davis, Scott A - Lincoln
Gill, Rex J - Lincoln
Moore, Justice - Lincoln

Illini Central Grade School
Mason City
Basketball Individual Skills Result
Bice, Jonathan - San Jose, IL 1st place
Jones, Austin E - Mason City, IL 4th place Mason, Triena - Mason City, IL 2nd place

As Official Partners of Special Olympics Illinois, the Illinois Knights of Columbus and the Law Enforcement Torch Run were Gold Medal Sponsors of the Basketball Tournament.

Special Olympics Illinois is a not-for-profit organization offering year-round training and competition in 19 sports for nearly 22,000 Traditional athletes with intellectual disabilities and nearly 21,000 Young Athletes ages 2-7 with and without intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics changes lives by empowering people with intellectual disabilities to realize their full potential in sports and in life. Special Olympics programs enhance physical fitness, motor skills, self-confidence, social skills and encourage family and community support. If you are interested in learning more about Special Olympics Illinois, volunteering or providing financial support to help make Special Olympics programs possible, contact your local Special Olympics agency, call 800-394-0562 or visit our website at www.soill.org.

[Michelle Evans, Special Olympics]