Anderson Center for Autism Presents Special Olympics Invitational Basketball Tournament, Pine Plains

Feb. 5, 2013 - PRLog -- STAATSBURG, N.Y. -- Anderson Center for Autism’s athletics department will host its first winter invitational basketball tournament Feb. 10 in conjunction with Special Olympics New York.

The two-division tournament, at the Pine Plains High School gymnasium, 2829 Church St. in Pine Plains, will run from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

At least 10 Special Olympics teams from as far as Albany to Westchester are expected to participate.

Members of Anderson Center and Pine Plains student athletes will volunteer at the team play event.

This uniquely partnered competition seeks to provide Anderson Athletics, as well as all participating teams, with the opportunity to showcase their basketball skills in team play, reinforcing the Special Olympics mission of providing sports training and athletic competition for people of all ages with intellectual disabilities.

“For the past several years our athletes have been participating in basketball skills events at Marist College, but have never quite been satisfied with just the skills portion alone. Each year they ask fellow coach, John DeLorenzo, and I to put a team together. And low and behold, the opportunity finally presented itself! This is the first time our athletes have ever played any formalized team basketball. It’s a completely new experience, but they’ve really stepped up and worked hard to come together, welcoming the supportive feedback and assistance from other seasoned athletes and coaches. Being able to play in their first invitational has taken an incredible amount of hard work, but they’re excited and ready for it,” says Anderson coach Amanda Coons, who is also an Anderson behavior analyst.

Special Olympics gives people with intellectual disabilities opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and share gifts, skills and friendship through a variety of Olympic-type sports.

Anderson Center for Autism thanks Pine Plains High School, the Pine Plains Central School District and each student athlete volunteer for their valued support and community commitment.

For more information contact:

Brianne Radtke

Ashworth Creative, Public Relations

E‐mail: brianne@ashworthcreative.com/

Phone: 845‐877-0410 ext. 105

About Anderson Center for Autism

Anderson Center for Autism is New York’s premier autism treatment and care center. It is a non-profit organization located in picturesque Staatsburg, N.Y., dedicated to providing the highest quality programs possible for both children and adults with autism. It employs more than 700 specialists who are expertly trained to diagnose, treat, and care for adults and children on the autism spectrum.

Special Olympics New York program

Special Olympics New York is a private, non-profit organization that held the first state Summer Games in Rochester in June 1970. The organization - funded primarily by individual, corporate and foundation donation ‐ is the largest state Special Olympics program in the United States and the sixth largest program in the world, serving nearly 56,000 athletes. Special Olympics New York’s mission is to provide year‐round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic‐type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.