University Park, Pa. — The Penn State Lady Lions will host their second annual basketball clinic for Special Olympic athletes, unified partners and coaches from Centre and Blair Counties on Saturday, Dec. 11 at the Bryce Jordan Center.
The participants will be invited to watch the end of the Lady Lions’ practice and will then partake in a clinic from 4-4:30 p.m., followed by a chance to have pizza with the Lady Lions. The Special Olympic athletes, unified partners and coaches will participate in various drills and activities and coaches will have an opportunity to learn additional coaching techniques.
All Special Olympics PA athletes and their families, not just those participating in Saturday’s clinic, are invited to be a guest of Lady Lion head coach Coquese Washington’s for Sunday’s Penn State women’s basketball game against Maine at noon. The Centre County and Blair County basketball teams will square off in a halftime exhibition with Sue Paterno serving as the Master of Ceremonies for tipoff.
With the support of local companies, organizations, and individuals, the Centre County Special Olympics flourishes on gifts of time and money from volunteers and donors in the area. Several different events take place year-round including the Bowl-a-Thon in the fall, the Geri Ryan Track Meet in the spring, and the Summer Games. There are also many practices, kick-off events, and picnics, and clinics, which allow the athletes to practice their sport and bond with their fellow teammates. Furthermore, our local athletes travel around the state to compete against other county programs.
The Lady Lions have a long history of community service and have won the "small squad" CHAMPS Cup each of the award’s five years of existence. The CHAMPS Cup is awarded annually to the small squad (20 or fewer members) and large squad (20 or more members) that participate in the most community service hours
