With the calendar set to turn another year, Winter Sports Season is fast approaching. The Special Olympics Kentucky Winter Sports Season consists of basketball, cheerleading and the State Winter Games, and while the Winter Games produce the first state competition, the time to get involved in basketball or cheerleading is now.

Basketball

Basketball teams are already forming throughout the state. Last year, basketball was by far the most popular team sport in the Special Olympics Kentucky program with more than 1,200 athletes competing on 112 teams statewide.

The basketball season will once again consist of leagues in Lexington and Louisville, invitational tournaments at various locations throughout the state and three Regional Tournaments, through which teams will qualify for the State Basketball Tournament, which will be held March 10-12 at MidAmerica Sports Complex in Louisville.

2017 Regional Tournament Schedule
Region 1 – Feb. 11; Bowling Green, Ky.
Region 2 – Feb. 18; Florence & Union, Ky.
Region 3 – Feb. 18; Elizabethtown, Ky.

For more information about the Special Olympics Kentucky basketball program, contact Hunter Brislin at 502-695-8222 or via e-mail at [email protected].

Cheerleading

Kentucky has been a pioneer in Special Olympics cheerleading, and Kentucky programs continue to offer cheerling squads for athletes of all ability levels. This year, close to 20 cheerleading squads are expected to compete in both traditional and Unified division. Squads are forming now and some have already begun practice.

The cheerleading season consists of two Regional Cheerleading Competitions — an East Regional and a West Regional. Teams the compete in either regional qualify for the State Cheerleading Competition.

Once again this year, all Special Olympics Competitions will be held in conjunction with a larger, non-Special Olympics cheerleading event, giving our athletes the opportunity to compete in a bigger environment and show their skills to a broader audience. This year’s East Region Competition will be held on Saturday, Jan 28, at Bryan Station High School in conjunction with the Cheers for the New Year Competition. The West Region Competition will take place on Saturday, Feb. 11, at Presentation as part of the Top Spirit Cheer Competition. The State Competition returns to Fern Creek High School and the St. Athanasius Cheerleading Competition on Saturday, Feb. 25.

For more information about the Special Olympics Kentucky cheerleading program or about the regional and state competitions, contact Kim Satterwhite at 502-695-8222 or [email protected].

State Winter Games

Ore than 100 athletes are expected to take part in the 2017 State Winter Games when those Games return to Perfect North Slopes in Lawrenceburg, Ind., Jan. 22-24. This will be the 37th year for the State Winter Games and the 20th year that Perfect North has hosted the event.

Athletes will compete in snowshoeing and alpine skiing at the Games.

For more information or for registration information, contact Kim Satterwhite at 502-695-8222 or [email protected].