Special Olympians get back on the court in Spencer exhibition

By Valorie Brecht,

Tribune Record Gleaner The mission of Special Olympics is to give children and adults with intellectual disabilities opportunities to “develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.”

Based on the smiles seen on faces Sunday afternoon, that mission was being well-fulfilled when local Special Olympics athletes gathered to face off against local first responders in a basketball game at Spencer Elementary School.

“It’s all about the joy and you can just see the joy,” said Special Olympics coach Mark Pries of Withee, whose niece is on the team.

The game was a fundraiser for the Colby- Abby Special Olympics team, joined by the Spencer Sparks Special Olympics athletes. Spencer’s numbers have dwindled recently, so they decided to combine with Abby-Colby to have enough for a team. This was the first time the fundraiser has been held since 2020; prior to that it was an annual event for more than 15 years.

The Special Olympians competed against members of the Spencer Fire and EMS, Spencer Police Department, Central Fire and EMS and Abbotsford-Colby Police Department. As has happened since the fundraiser’s inception, the game went into overtime. With a game-winning basket, Efie Chavez ensured the Special Olympians maintained their reign on top in the longstanding rivalry. The Special Olympians took the 54-52 win.

Beyond winning and losing though, the event is much more about personal growth and the athletes gaining confidence in themselves, said Pries.

“I’ve seen skills growth and interpersonal growth. It’s a night-and-day difference from where they started three months ago to where they are now… It’s amazing

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BREAKAWAY BASKET - Andrew Vogel makes a move towards the bucket during the fundraiser game held this past Sunday in Spencer.

STAFF PHOTO/VALORIE BRECHT Special Olympics

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just to see the little things, when we’re working on skills in practice and you can see all of a sudden they get it, the concept you’re teaching. And they’re just so happy,” he said.

This is Pries’ first year coaching Special Olympics, although he spent “eight to 10 years” coaching youth and summer league programs in Owen-Withee.

“I’ve coached probably 100 kids in my life and this is the most special group (that) I’ve ever coached,” he said. “It’s hard to put into words how much I enjoy this. Seeing the smile on their face when they make the basket in a game, it makes it worth every second.”

Ron Johnson, who played on the first responders team, has a son who played on the Special Olympics team. He said his son really enjoys being part of the group and staying active.

“He loves it. He loves the camaraderie with his teammates,” he said.

As the season has progressed, friendships have been made and strengthened. The team has been practicing once a week since early December and competed in tournaments in Stevens Point and UW-Stout. Next, they will compete in track and field, and possibly bean bag toss, if there is enough interest.

People can follow the team by liking the “Colby-Abby Special Olympics” page on Facebook.

AN AWESOME TEAM-UP - The Colby-Abby and Spencer Special Olympics basketball teams pose for a photo with members of the the Central Fire and EMS, Abbotsford-Colby Police Department and the Spencer Fire and EMS and Police Department after their fundraiser game held this past Sunday.

STAFF PHOTO/VALORIE BRECHT

LOOKING FOR AN OPENING - Miguel Hernandez dribbles up the court during the fundraiser game.

STAFF PHOTO/VALORIE BRECHT