Many sport seasons have come to an end in the past couple of weeks as we begin to usher in spring. Basketball ended with a regional championship, and wrestling sent Brock Hoyd off to state. Another program celebrating a successful season is the Special Olympics team, who capped off a long season by placing second in state. The team is comprised of students with special abilities here at Riverside Brookfield, and is an outlet for these students to compete and have fun. It is also a place for friends, family, and faculty to come together to support the athletes.

After a long season filled with practicing to improve the team as a whole, they set their eyes toward playoffs.

“I had a good season, one game I scored 15 and also hit two threes one game,” said guard Joe Mckelvin, describing the highlight of his season.

The growth in the team was evident, and as the season progressed, players displayed a better understanding of how to work with each other.

Aaron Anderson, a guard  also recalls the improvement in the team.

“The first couple games we didn’t score too much, but by the end we were scoring more and more,” said Anderson.

There are many people that come together to make this possible for the athletes. Special Olympics relies on volunteers who are selfless enough to give up their time to facilitate these events, many of which come directly from Best Buddies. It is a unique joy to many people knowing that the time they give results in huge joy and smiles for their Buddies.

“All the time I put into it is always worth it when I can see these athletes smile,” said Sophomore Samantha Buscio.

After traveling down to Bloomington, the team secured a win by a close margin of one point on Friday. The next day they fell short in the championship game, resulting with an impressive second place. The whole experience was great for the team as it was a fun way to draw a curtain on the season. The athletes can look back on it as a season of success, joy, and lifelong memories. Those involved can also reflect on the impact they made on the players’ lives, and prepare for next season.