Lake Havasu’s Special Olympians Take On LHCPD

By Becky Maxedon

Tuesday evening, Lake Havasu City Special Olympics athletes took on members of the Lake Havasu City Police Department in a game of hoops – basketball that is – at Thunderbolt Middle School.

The annual game brings the two groups together every year to square off and prepare the Special Olympians for state games.

While scoring is loose at best, the Special Olympic athletes bested the LHCPD 48-28.

Lake Havasu City Chief of Police Troy Stirling said the game means a lot to members of the department.

Special Olympics Lake Havasu special needs all abilities

Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

“It really means a lot for us. We have two good times of the year. We have the softball game, and we have the basketball game,” Stirling said.

“Every year we get to play with these athletes, and I think you see a lot of participation from our officers because they love to come out here, they love the energy.

“They love the heart that is given by these athletes every time. They’re very competitive,” he said.

Stirling said the athletes love to beat the police team.

“I know it’s hard to believe. We’ve tried to do this game with being on their team, but they chose they want us to play against them, so it’s been fun to do that and watch the energy out there. We love taking part in it and we’re not going to stop.”

The game is not without all the bells and whistles of any athletic performance.

Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

The Lake Havasu Special Olympic Cheerleaders were on hand to bring the excitement to the game and cheer the athletes on.

Brenda Johnson is the Special Olympics Cheer Coach as well as a board member for the Special Olympics Breakfast of Champions.

“It means a lot to me. They get better and better every time. We’re getting ready for state, so this was a great way to be in front of a crowd and show the great skills they have and make them feel good about themselves,” Johnson said.

“That’s mainly why I participate in Special Olympics and work with these athletes.

They mean so much to me that they can come out and they can do things that they probably weren’t able to do in school or wherever and they enjoy it and they’re proud of themselves.

“That’s what it’s all about. It’s about the athletes,” she said.

The Breakfast of Champions is April 3 at Calvary Church.

For more information about Special Olympics, visit specialolympicsarizona.org.