Special Olympics: Basketball Sport Center

Basketball Sport Center

Basketball is a favorite Special Olympics sport. This basketball sport center draws together sport news and stories, upcoming events and links to the Special Olympics Basketball Coaching Guide.

Stories Events Games

Basketball is one of the top sports at Special Olympics. Players take it up at all ages and at all abilities, from young players learning to handle the ball and keep it under control while dribbling to older, more experienced players who have the moves and know the strategies to play challenging ball.

It's also one of the favorite sports for the Special Olympics Unified Sports initiative, when players with and without intellectual disabilities form teams to play other unified teams. It's a learning experience that's also a lot of fun.

Coaching Guide

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News and Stories

January 01, 0001 | SOI General: Headquarters

League teaches students life-changing lessons

By WAVE 3 News: by Connie Leonard

Some high school students are showing maturity beyond their years thanks to a new sports program. "It's life changing for them," said Butler teacher Dawn Foley, "Working with these kids ... has really opened a lot of eyes."View Story ▼LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - Some high school students are showing maturity beyond their years thanks to a new sports program. With the support of the UPS Foundation, some local students with disabilities and some without took part in the inaugural Unified Basketball League, a joint effort between Jefferson County Public Schools and Special Olympics Kentucky. The students have been forming teams and friendships that go far beyond the court... Students with intellectual disabilities teamed with other students, who have the most to gain. "It's life changing for them," said Butler teacher Dawn Foley, "Working with these kids and seeing what they can do and not focusing on what they can't do has really opened a lot of eyes."

January 01, 0001 | SOI General: Headquarters

UEFA, Euroleague Join In for Basketball

By Euroleague.net

UEFA football legends Christian Karembeu and Robert Pires met up with Euroleague greats Ramunas Siskauskas and Nikola Vujcic in a celebrity basketball game involving Special Olympics youngsters at the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Fan Zone.View Story ▼Euroleague Basketball League reports: UEFA football legends Christian Karembeu and Robert Pires met up with Euroleague greats Ramunas Siskauskas and Nikola Vujcic in a celebrity basketball game involving Special Olympics youngsters at the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Fan Zone as part of the 2013 London Final Four weekend festivities. The goodwill game, organized by Euroleague’s social responsibility program One Team, took place Friday morning at Trafalgar Square and drew hundreds of enthusiastic on-lookers at the Fan Zone Main Court. “I’m very proud to be here,” said Karembeu, who along with Pires is part of UEFA Legends, a group of ex-football stars acting as role models for UEFA’s community and social responsibility program. “Sports need this kind of exchange and meetings because we all know that sports has this impact and visibility. It’s good that the initiative was taken by UEFA and Euroleague.” Read the full story at the link below

January 01, 0001 | North America: Ohio

New to Special Olympics

By Amy Williams

I been doing Special Olympics for an little over a year and a half now and I love doing it but I never thought I would have found the goodwill gladiator without my sister Sally Williams.View Story ▼I been doing Special Olympics for an little over a year and a half now and I love doing it but I never thought I would have found the goodwill gladiator without my sister Sally Williams being one of the coaches for everything I am doing like basketball, softball, track and tennis and she coaches everything I do and I know she likes being a coach. But I never thought I would ever get qualified for the national games and go to the summer games in Ohio after my first year of doing it but I am so happy my sister is my coach and she is good at it and I am happy I found the team I am on.

Stories and News about Basketball »

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Upcoming Basketball Events

Date	Event	Location
May 29, 2013	Unified Basketball and Football Competition Come cheer on and support our Special Olympics athletes on 29 May for an exciting day of Unified basketball and football competition in Witbank, South Africa. Please contact Mrs Mashayane (contact info below) for event details. For more information Mrs Mashayane Email:mash@specialolympics.comView More	Witbank, Mpumalanga SOUTH AFRICA
May 30 - Jun 2 2013	Missouri Summer Games Join us May 30 - June 2 during our Summer Games event. Approximately 2000 athletes will compete in athletics (Track & Field), aquatics, basketball, bowling, powerlifting and volleyball. For more information More DetailsView More	Columbia, Missouri UNITED STATES
May 31 - Jun 2 2013	Washington Summer Games Join us May 31-June 2 at Joint Base Lewis during our Summer Games event. Approximately 2500 athletes will compete in aquatics, athletics, basketball, tennis and powerlifting. For more information More DetailsView More	Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington UNITED STATES
June 05, 2013	Table Tennis and Basketball Competition Come cheer on and support our Special Olympics athletes on 5 June for an exciting day of Table Tennis and Basketball Competition in Cape Town, South Africa. Please contact Mr Moeketsi Mokoka (contact info below) for event details.table tennis and basketball competition For more information Mr. Moeketsi Mokoka Email:moeketsi@specalolympics.orgView More	Cape Town , Western Cape SOUTH AFRICA
Jun 6 - 8 2013	Pennsylvania Summer Games Join us June June 6-8 during our Summer Games event. Approximately 2000 athletes will compete in aquatics, athletics, basketball, bowling, equestrian, golf, gymnastics, softball and tennis. For more information More DetailsView More	Penn State University in State College Philadelphia, Pennsylvania UNITED STATES
Jun 7 - 9 2013	Alaska Summer Games Join us June 7-9 during our Summer Games event. Approximately 300 athletes will compete in athletics, aquatics, basketball, gymnastics, and powerlifting. For more information More DetailsView More	Anchorage, Alaska UNITED STATES
Jun 8 - 9 2013	Southern California Summer Games More than 1,100 Special Olympics Southern California athletes will show their courage and determination during Summer Games on June 8-9 at Cal State Long Beach. Become a volunteer, or come cheer these superstars on as they hit game-winning baskets, make birdie putts, and swim for the gold. This event is free, and it is open to the general public. The Games will feature our six spring/summer sports (aquatics, basketball, bocce, golf, gymnastics, and track and field). Along with the competitions, you will have fun playing games, listening to live music, and participating in many activities. For more information More Details Kelly Kloepping Email:kkloepping@sosc.org Phone:(562) 522-8554View More	California State University, Long Beach 1250 Bellflower Blvd. Long Beach, California UNITED STATES
Jun 14 - 16 2013	New York Summer Games Join us June June 14-16 during our Summer Games event. Approximately 1000 athletes will compete in athletics (track & field), aquatics, basketball, bowling, powerlifting, gymnastics, tennis and volleyball. For more information More DetailsView More	University at Buffalo Buffalo, New York UNITED STATES
Jun 19 - Jan 23 2013	Europe Eurasia Basketball Tournament Special Olympics athletes from 16 European nations will gather in Istanbul Turkey to compete in the fifth European Basketball Tournament in association with the Turkish Basketball Federation. Nations represented include: Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Macedonia, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey, and Ukraine. For more information More Details Kerem Ilgün Email:kilgun@soturkiye.org.trView More	Istanbul TURKEY
Jun 28 - 29 2013	Idaho Summer Games Join us June 28-29 during our Summer Games event. Approximately 900 athletes will compete in aquatics, basketball, cycling, powerlifting and track & field. For more information More DetailsView More	Boise Boise, Idaho UNITED STATES
November 11, 2013	Unified Basketball Competition Come cheer on and support our Special Olympics athletes on 11 November for a Unified basketball competition in Witbank, South Africa. Unified Sports promotes social inclusion through shared sports training and competition experiences by joining people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team. Please contact Mr. Wanga Manyala (contact info below) for event details. For more information Mr. Wanga Manyala Email:ekambala@specialolympics.orgView More	Witbank, Mpumalanga SOUTH AFRICA
Nov 30 - Dec 8 2013	European Basketball Week The concept of Special Olympics European Basketball Week is to have one week each year where everyone in the basketball community commits to doing something to expand opportunities for players with intellectual disabilities. This is the flagship event of our partnership with FIBA Europe. Let’s work together to make Basketball Week a permanent part of the annual European Basketball calendar and give thousands of Special Olympics players the chance to play center court! For more information More Details Miroslaw Krogulec Email:mkrosoee@it.pl Phone:+4-82-2823-9331View More	32 Countries throughout Europe Eurasia Multiple cities in Europe Eurasia, Europe Eurasia Various Country
Nov 30 - Dec 7 2013	Special Olympics Asia Pacific Regional Games The inaugural Special Olympics Asia Pacific Games will take place in Newcastle, New South Wales in 2013. The event will see Australia welcome more than 1,700 Special Olympics athletes, 600 coaches, 4,000 volunteers, and approximately 200,000 spectators from 25 nations across the Asia Pacific region. Newcastle will offer world class facilities and venues across the range of nine sports to be conducted during the Games – Athletics, Bocce, Bowling, Basketball, Football, Badminton, Table Tennis, Cricket and Aquatics as well as venues for the Opening Ceremony and Games social hub. For more information More Details Alex McNeilly Email:alexm@specialolympics.com.auView More	Hunter Stadium 294 Turton Rd, New Lambton NSW 2305 Newcastle, New South Wales AUSTRALIA
Jun 13 - 21 2014	2014 USA National Games The USA National Games be centered in and around Princeton and the Greater Mercer County area. Venues will include Princeton University, Rider University, The College of New Jersey, and Mercer County Park. The New Jersey Devils have offered The Prudential Center as the venue for the Opening Ceremonies. The National Games will feature nearly 3,500 athletes competing in 14 Olympic-style sports, with the support of 1,000 coaches, 8,000 volunteers and an estimated 50,000 family, friends and spectators. Non-competitive special events will include the Final Leg of the Law Enforcement Torch Run™ that will symbolize the start of the competition and Healthy Athletes, a place where the athletes can get vital health screenings. Youth and education events will also be held in conjunction with the Games as young leaders rally around making change for the better of the Special Olympics movement and promoting acceptance of those with intellectual disabilities. For more information More Details Greg Epperson Email:gepperson@specialolympics.org Phone:919-785-0700View More	Several Locations - New Jersey Princeton, New Jersey UNITED STATES

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Basketball Competitions

2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games

Athens, Greece, was the home of the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games. That year, it was the world’s largest sporting event for athletes with intellectual disabilities. See results by athlete, delegation and bib number.

See the Results

Related Coaching Resources

How to Get Involved in Special Olympics

Special Olympics sports training, coaching and competitions go on in more than 170 countries around the world. You can get involved by getting in touch with the closest Special Olympics office.

Special Olympics near you»

Made Possible by The Annenberg Foundation

The Special Olympics movement is profoundly grateful for the support of the Annenberg Foundation which has underwritten the production of the coaches’ guides and resources, supporting our global goals for coaches’ excellence.

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