Winter Sports season wraps up soon with the cheerleading and basketball seasons coming to a close and the State Winter

Basketball

Basketball continues to be by far the most popular team sport in the Special Olympics Kentucky program. The 2019 season set records with more than 1,300 athletes competing on 120 teams statewide.

The season gets underway shortly after the start of the new year, with leagues in Lexington and Louisville. There are also invitational tournaments at various locations throughout the state and three Regional Tournaments, through which teams will qualify for the State Basketball Tournament. The State Tournament will be held March 13-15 at MidAmerica Sports Complex in Louisville.

2020 Regional Basketball Tournament Schedule
Feb. 8 – Region 1 Basketball Tournament, Bowling Green
Feb. 15 – Region 2 Basketball Tournament, Florence
Feb. 15 – Region 3 Basketball Tournament, Elizabethtown

For more information about the Special Olympics Kentucky basketball program or to find out how to join a team, 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 cheerleading squads for athletes of all ability levels. Cheerleading squads compete in both traditional and Unified divisions. 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 that compete in either regional qualify for the State Cheerleading Competition.

2020 Cheerleading Schedule

Jan. 25– East Regional Cheerleading Competition; Richmond
Feb. 8 – West Regional Cheerleading Competition; Louisville
Feb. 22 – State Cheerleading Competition; Louisville

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

More than 100 athletes were on hand when the State Winter Games were held at Perfect North Slopes in Lawrenceburg, Ind., to kick off the SOKY competitive year Jan. 26-28.

Athletes competed in snowshoeing and alpine skiing at the Games.

For more information about how to take part in the 2020 State Winter Games, contact Kim Satterwhite at 502-695-8222 or [email protected].