Special Olympics Orillia is hosting a provincial qualifier basketball tournament at the Orillia Recreation Centre.
There are 10 teams and 110 athletes from as far as Thunder Bay and Timmins who made the trip for the tournament Saturday.
Cathy O’Connor, the community co-ordinator for Special Olympics Orillia, says it’s the first time the Sunshine City has hosted the tournament, which takes place every four years.
“We are excited to show off our facility and showcase our athletes,” she said. “It’s an honour to be able to host this event.”
While the main goal of the tournament is for the athletes to have fun, O’Connor says they are competitive.
“They all want to win,” she said. “They want to show off their skills.”
The Orillia Thunders basketball squad qualified for the provincial tournament in 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic. The team has been playing for an hour every Thursday in preparation for the provincial tournament next year.
Outside of Barrie, the Orillia squad doesn’t get the opportunity to play teams from other communities often, making Saturday’s tournament an exciting chance to put their talents to the test.
“They love it,” O’Connor said. “A lot of the athletes know each other from the other centres. It’s very social, and it’s good for them.”
After the final game at 2:45 p.m. Saturday, the tournament will wrap up and all athletes will receive their participation medals.
“The athletes are always beaming when they get their awards,” O’Connor said. “It’s nice that they can compete with each other, against each other, and nobody gets left out.”
Star Thunders player Evan Pittam says his team has been looking forward to this event for several months.
“We are excited to play against all the other teams,” he said. “I think we have a really good team. We play really well together and we always have a ton of fun.”
While the Thunders have already qualified for provincials, Pittam says Saturday’s tournament gives his team the opportunity to get better.
“We want to practise passing,” he said. “We want to work on communication, setting each other up, and playing as a team.”
Pittam, 30, is enjoying hosting the tournament in Orillia this weekend, saying it’s a nice change from usually being on the road.
“I really love it,” he said. “It’s nice to play on our home court in our new rec centre.”
Veteran Thunders athlete Stephen Graham says tournament play allows team members to build bonds with each other.
“There is the time in between games to learn a little more about each teammate,” he said. “Everyone here has a unique personality and story, and that’s something I appreciate.”
Graham, 41, hopes the Thunders can win the tournament on home court.
“We will try our best,” he said. “The main goal is to have fun and give it our all.”
O’Connor thanks Jason’s No Frills, Pepsi Bottling Group, and Special Olympics Ontario for sponsoring the event.
