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Troy Schattenkirk lined up for a free throw, a shot he has practised again and again. He focused on the hoop, bounced the ball 鈥� and missed, with the ball ending up in an opponent鈥檚 hands.
It wasn鈥檛 over for Schattenkirk, however, who quickly turned the play back in his favour, stealing the ball and sinking a layup that sent fans into a frenzy at Pacific Way elementary.
鈥淥ur coach (Jordynn Denness) called a timeout and she said, 鈥楾he next time you come out, get into your positions and go hard.鈥� Schattenkirk said. 鈥淪he said, 鈥楧on鈥檛 be scared to get on your checks and steal the ball.鈥� So that鈥檚 what I did. That鈥檚 what happened.鈥�
The 28-year-old Penticton winger with autism scored 20 points to secure a 43-19 win for the Thompson-Okanagan Special Olympics basketball team during a quarter-final game against Fraser Valley on Saturday morning.
鈥淭his is my first time watching a basketball game and I was like, 鈥極h, I might have to come more often,鈥� said Heather Semchuk, who was cheering on son Kent Plettl from Kamloops.
Assistant coach Patrick Wilson attributed the team鈥檚 win to a full-court press.
鈥淲e feel good about our performance in this game,鈥� he said.
While some players could give the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack a run for their money, others, like 18-year-old Ethan Sun, aren鈥檛 in it to win.
鈥淲e want to form as a group and work together,鈥� Sun told KTW.
Wilson coaches in Kelowna and only just met half of his newly formed team. Thompson-Okanagan athletes were brought together from Penticton, Kelowna and Kamloops for the BC Winter Games, selected by their respective Special Olympics coaches to represent the region. Six regional teams are competing.
鈥淪pecial Olympics basketball is really just starting to get going in the Okanagan region over the last three to five years,鈥� Wilson said.
One of two Special Olympics events at the BC Winter Games, basketball rules have been altered to suit the needs of those with diverse abilities. The game has been shortened and you won鈥檛 find a 30-second shot clock counting down above the court. There鈥檚 no rule on subbing and referees consider the player when making a call for minor infractions like double-dribbling or travelling.
Give athletes with diverse abilities the opportunity to prosper and they do, Wilson said.
Player Quote from Special Olympics Basketball:
鈥� BC Games (@BCGames1)
"Everyone is supportive. Always encouraging each other with high fives & pats on the back."
鈥淲e work to play with their strengths and we work around their disabilities, but at the same time we give them the opportunity to shine,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat enables and empowers them.鈥�
But it doesn鈥檛 always run 100 per cent smoothly.
During the game between Thompson-Okanagan and Fraser Valley, a call was made by a volunteer Kamloops referee against a Fraser Valley player who took too long to toss the ball into play. She was visibly shaken from the call after the offiicial cited the five-second rule.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no five-second rule,鈥� came shouts from the sidelines.
The referee reversed his call, but it was too late for the player, who made her way off the court and would not return to the game for a full quarter. When she did return to the sidelines, she sat on the bench and got her shoulders rubbed before returning to the hardcourt.
鈥淎ny time you have Special Olympics, you have to be flexible in regards to understanding if they [athletes with diverse abilities] can get on the court,鈥� said Leah Briault, Special Olympic basketball chair for the BC Winter Games.
Supports are in place at Pacific Way. There鈥檚 a designated quiet room for athletes and therapy dogs are on hand 鈥� fluffballs that could be seen roaming the school hallways when not needed by athletes. Specialty personnel include B.C. Children鈥檚 Hospital nurses and physiotherapists. Paramedics have also been on site.
The supports are enough to ease the minds of parents Laura and Dave Hender from Quesnel, whose 14-year-old son Matthew, who has autism, joined his first sports team in October. He is in Kamloops as part of the Caribou-North East team.
Communication with the coach has brought additional piece of mind for the parents as they manage the separation.
鈥淭he whole thing. Having to come on the bus, stay at a school, eat meals with other people. We were freaking out,鈥� Laura told KTW. 鈥淏ut he鈥檚 doing great. He鈥檚 wearing a uniform, which bothers him 鈥� We鈥檝e just noticed his confidence. We鈥檙e blown away by how independent he is this weekend. It鈥檚 pretty cool.鈥�
Briault coaches the Kamloops Special Olympics basketball team and cancelled Saturday鈥檚 practice due to the Games, telling her players to instead come and watch their three teammates who made the Thompson-Okanagan squad. Most of the team was in the stands cheering on the three players from Kamloops 鈥� Plettl, Josh Trudell and Aaron Lansdowne.
鈥淚t was awesome,鈥� Lansdowne said. 鈥淲e are family.鈥�
Many of the athletes have been playing multiple sports together for years, either on a team or competing against one another. It has built an inclusive community among athletes with diverse abilities in Kamloops, the Thompson-Okanagan and British Columbia, which was evident when a Fraser Valley player was bumped and fell during the game.
Kamloops鈥� Plettl reached down to his opponent, calling the player by name, and offered a hand.
鈥淚t鈥檚 team sportsmanship,鈥� Plettl said.
The Thompson-Okanagan squad would not go on to win its afternoon contest against Vancouver Coastal.
鈥淰aliant effort from our team against a very strongly build team,鈥� Wilson said. 鈥淲e were proud of them.鈥�
The Special Olympics basketball final will be played on Sunday at 10 a.m. Pacific Way elementary. The Thompson-Okanagan squad will play in the bronze-medal game at 8:30 a.m. Medal presentations will take place at 11:30 a.m.
Did you know?
Female and male athletes ages 14 to 35 with diverse abilities share the court for Special Olympics basketball during the BC Winter Games.
The Games also feature Special Olympics figure skating.
Paralympic sports differ from Special Olympics in that Paralympic athletes have only physical disabilities, not intellectual ones.
Across the province, 4,600 athletes are registered with Special Olympics B.C., 72 per cent of whom are ages 19 to 59. Youth programs can take in kid as young as two years of age.
