Special Olympics Homecoming Takes the Court at White Plains High School
On Wednesday, April 29, White Plains High School Special Olympics Basketball Team held their Third Annual Pioneer League Homecoming Basketball Game. This year, the Tigers were challenged by the Sleepy Hollow High School Special Olympics basketball team.
The Special Olympics Pioneer League is composed of teams from area school’s that travel from school to school to compete in interscholastic sports, such as basketball and soccer.
Felix Veloz, a forward for the Horsemen Special Olympics team began the Homecoming game by reading the Special Olympics motto. “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt,” read Cruz, as players and coaches read along with him.
Margaret Devaney a retired Special Education Teacher at White Plains High School pursued getting the White Plains Special Olympics teams involved in the Pioneer League during the 1990’s. Devaney was succeeded by White Plains High School Special Olympics Head Basketball Coach Kevin Brown, who assumed the leadership role in 2006-07.
Brown is also a Special Education Social Studies Teacher at WPHS. His Assistant Basketball Coach is Mike Beaton, who is also a Teachers Assistant in Special Education at WPHS. The Sleepy Hollow team is coached by Kim Kaczmarek and Bonnie Berry.
“We owe a lot to Special Olympics Supervisor of the Pioneer League Ellen Pikula. She makes the schedules for the league and without her we do not do this. We also get a lot of support from the school’s staff and the school district,” acknowledged Brown.
Although, the Special Olympics Homecoming game was more about having fun and sportsmanship, the competition was fierce on the court. The visiting Horsemen won the game, 24-19. But not before, Tigers forward Zulu Jean made two consecutive layups to make a run at the Horsemen in the final minute of the game.
“This is the true meaning of sports. When you watch them playing this game and you see them helping each other, cheering each other on, it really is the true meaning of sports,” stated White Plains High School Athletic Director Jennifer DeSena, who was an Adaptive Physical Education Teacher for 22 years, before coming to WPHS.
The players on both the White Plains and Sleepy Hollow Special Olympics basketball teams were the athletic heroes the next day as they returned to being students in their respective high schools. The Third Annual Special Olympics Homecoming basketball game was their time to shine.
“The day was fantastic it is something that never gets old. What impresses me the most is the sportsmanship on both sides; it is all about everybody having fun. The students are competitive, they want to win but really it is about having a good time,” said Brown. Then everyone had pizza!
