Special Olympics basketball teams rock Virginia Tech’s Cassell Coliseum

“There’s nothing like the joy that you see in these athletes as they play on this court.”

BLACKSBURG, Va. – Virginia’s Special Olympics basketball tournament kicked off on Sunday at the Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg.

Ten teams competed for their chance to play at the state championships.

BJ Norris, a volunteer for the Special Olympics, said they’re excited they got the chance to return to the court in person.

“How much it means to our athletes,” Norris said. “I mean, I wish we had the 25 teams we normally have for this tournament, but we have 10 to 12 teams out here today and they’re all having a blast and like I said, there’s nothing like the joy that you see in these athletes as they play on this court.”

This year also marks the return of what’s considered the biggest fundraiser for the Special Olympics in Southwest Virginia—the Polar Plunge.

It’s set for this Saturday, Feb. 26 at Bisset Park in Radford. Click here, to learn more.