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Diocese sponsors Special Olympics clinic

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
(Email Katie)

Elizabeth Lira dribbled and then passed the ball at the Tyson Events Center. This was the seventh year that the Special Olympics athlete has played basketball with college athletes.

The junior from North High School in Sioux City has been participating in the basketball clinic since fourth grade. Her favorite drill is doing lay ups.

“I like to meet and be around other people,” said Lira. “I like playing basketball with the teams.”

The Diocese of Sioux City and State Farm sponsored the Special Olympics Iowa Basketball Clinic in Sioux City. The diocese has been sponsoring the event for several years.

The college women’s teams participating in the 19th Annual State Farm-NAIA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship kicked off the tournament on March 9 by helping with the clinic and interacting with the Special Olympics athletes.

“We wouldn’t be able to do this kind of thing without the diocese. It is appreciated more than you realize,” said Cathy Richey, program assistant for Special Olympics Iowa. “We want the NAIA, State Farm and the diocese to know we appreciate their support to be able to give this opportunity to our athletes.”

This is the 11th year that Special Olympics Iowa has held the clinic. Typically there are more than 100 Special Olympics athletes from the Siouxland area who participate and this year was no acception.

NAIA teams, including hundreds of players and coaches, helped with the clinic.

During the clinic, the special athletes participated in shooting, passing and dribbling activities as well as a scrimmage against the college athletes. Two sessions were held - one from 9 to 10:30 a.m. and the other from 10:30 a.m. to noon.

“We ask the college athletes to teach them how they warm up and cool down,” said Richey. “Not only are they (the Special Olympics athletes) improving their skills for when they go out and compete themselves, but the relationships that they have with these college students it such a self-esteem boost.”

Dayton Verbeski, a sixth grader at West Middle School in Sioux City, said he likes attending the Special Olympic event because he gets to meet other people and the college athletes.

“I like playing basketball with the athletes because it is fun,” said the Special Olympics athlete whose favorite sport is basketball. He was looking forward to being able to shoot baskets.

This was his first year to experience the event with the college athletes, but he said he was able to attend a game during the tournament in the past.

Elizabeth Lira and a few students from her school were paired with Briar Cliff basketball players who will play in the national tournament. One of the BCU players, Cat Nelson, is a graduate of North High, where Lira goes to school.

This event is a highlight of the tournament not only for the Special Olympics athletes but also for the NAIA players and coaches. Some of the college athletes have participated in the past but for some this was their first experience.

Kylie Dilla, a sophomore at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, said that this will be her first time helping with Special Olympics as well as her first trip to the national tournament.

“I like how the kids are getting really involved. They get really excited,” she said. “When they make a basket, they jump up and down. That’s really cool to see.”

This event, the BCU student said, is a good way to show what we do and to start off the tournament.

“It means a big deal to them,” said Dilla. “It is a big deal for us, too. It is really touching, exciting and neat to see.”

This is Briar Cliff’s first appearance back at the tournament since advancing to the semifinals in 2002. They were to play their first game March 11 at 7 p.m. against Holy Names, a team from California.

Indiana-Southeast senior, Vanessa Stauble, is majoring in special education so participating in the clinic was natural for her.

“I enjoy working with the kids and helping them as much as possible,” she said. “They love it. To have people working with them and helping them out, it just makes their day.”

Stauble said that the Special Olympics athletes go through so much, so being able to “make them smile and make their day go a little easier,” makes her happy.

The Special Olympics athletes are given a pass to go back to the Tyson Events Center during the tournament for a game.

The 32-team, single elimination tournament started with first round games on March 10 and March 11 and will end with the championship game on March 16. Thirty-one games will be played throughout the tournament.