The Bingham High School Special Olympics team recently finished their fall basketball season in
seventh place. Even though there were only seven teams participating, both the special needs students
and the best buddies who played alongside them still had a great time competing and participating in a
sport that they love.
Several students in Mr. Denslow’s special needs class had the opportunity to participate in the
recent basketball season, and all of them did an amazing job, but there was one student in particular
who demonstrated good sportsmanship throughout the entire season. His name is Alex Cox. Even when
their team was losing, Alex was always happy and helping the rest of the team has a good time. One of
the best things about Special Olympics sports are that the scores don’t matter to the kids, they just like
having fun. Several best buddies were able to help out with the season and be there at the games to
play along the kids and cheer them on. Izzy Nish, one of the peer tutors who helped with the team, said
about Alex that “Even when we lost he always had a really good attitude”. This basketball season wasn’t
just an amazing experience for the special needs kids, but also for the best buddie students who were
there with them.
The Bingham High School Special Olympics team has the opportunity to participate in several
different sports throughout the school year. Right now they are on a short hiatus since the basketball
season just ended, but in a little bit they will start their soccer season, after which they will begin their
track season.
Many high schools participate in the Special Olympics program all around the world. There are
numerous reasons for Special Olympics teams, but the Special Olympics website states their mission as
being “to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympic athletes and the community”. The Special Olympics program makes it possible to participate in one of the most iconic high school experiences; sports, and enables both the special needs students and the best buddies who help to have an amazing experience.