Pilots Volunteer at Special Olympics Youth Games

The University of Portland men’s basketball team volunteered at the Special Olympics Oregon Youth Games, hosted at the Nike World Headquarters on Saturday. It marks the third consecutive year that coaches and players volunteered at the event by putting on a basketball clinic for Special Olympics athletes. To view photos of the event, visit the Portland Basketball Facebook page by clicking here.

Portland director of basketball operations Colin Pfaff 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 concluded the clinic by getting autographs from the University of Portland players.

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 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.