One of the most important practices of the year...

Hoops Team Volunteers at Special Olympics Youth Games

BEAVERTON, Ore. --- The University of Portland men’s basketball team spent Saturday morning at the Nike World Headquarters as volunteers for the Special Olympics Oregon Youth Games. All Pilot players and the entire coaching staff put on a basketball clinic for athletes. Photos of the event can be seen by clicking here.

Portland director of basketball operations Alex Kirk coordinated and ran the clinic, which lasted approximately two hours as the Pilots worked with Special Olympics athletes on a variety of basketball skills. The athletes spent the final half hour scrimmaging and then getting autographs from the University of Portland players.

The clinic training sessions focused on three stations: dribbling/passing, shooting/layups and defense/rebounding. Athletes spent about 15 minutes at each station as members of the Portland Pilots and other volunteers provided instruction.

A majority of the volunteers for the Youth Games were employees of Nike. Other volunteers included American champion distance runner, Lauren Fleshman, and members of the Portland Timbers soccer team.

The event brought nearly 500 participants and their families to the Nike Campus to get an up-close and personal walk-though of Special Olympics sporting events, local support services for people with intellectual disabilities, and the chance to interact with local and professional athletes in four Olympic sports.

Youth Games Opening Ceremonies were emceed by KGW Meteorologist Nick Allard. Youth Games is the product of a partnership between Special Olympics Oregon and Nike to grow youth participation in Special Olympics and bring eligible families in contact with the resources they need to help their children thrive. The event was free to all registrants. Sports instruction and competition was provided for kids, ages 7 to 18 with intellectual disabilities.