Bringing Home Gold

Bringing Home Gold Pickerington Special Olympics state championship win sparks community involvement

By Lydia Freudenberg T hey shoot, they score and the crowd goes wild!

This cliché basketball phrase stands true for Pickerington Special Olympics basketball tournament team, the Pickerington Jaguars. In February the team took home its first-ever state championship, which is inspiring others to get involved.

PSO began about 30 years ago and now offers seven different sports: basketball, baseball, track and field, bowling, swimming, volleyball, and cheerleading. Bryon Beresford, the coach for the winning team, says the basketball program started about 20 years ago, so taking home this win was significant.

“It was pretty much like an NFL team winning a Super Bowl,” says Beresford, who has coached the team for the past two years. “We had a goal to get to the regional finals … but when we got to states, they were all focused on winning it. It was a pretty big celebration.”

Beresford says after the win, several community members reached out asking about getting involved as athletes or volunteers. Even though the PSO has been around for a while, Beresford says the organization is always working to increase awareness since it’s an important resource. “They get to be active, meet new friends and they get to compete like any other athlete,” he says.

Beresford also notes how PSO athletes gain more than physical skills. Specifically for the basketball team, he applauds the community support – 400 fans lined up along the street during the state championship game.

“They’re just – I don’t want to say coming out of their shell – but they’re more outgoing,” he says about the athletes. “It just makes them feel part of the community because sometimes they feel outcasted.”

Programs are typically offered 10 months out of the year and practices occur throughout the week. Beresford says bowling is the most popular program and can attract up to 40 PSO members per game.

“The more they get involved, the more they want to do and it just builds,” Beresford says. “They build so many different levels than exercise, (PSO) helps and expands their lives.”

As for the basketball team, even though one team member is moving, Beresford plans on taking the Jaguars to state finals again in 2021.

“We’re definitely going to be there,” he says. “It won’t be easy but, yeah, we plan on going back.”

Athletes must be at least 8 years old to participate and there isn’t an upper age limit. Volunteers must be at least 14 years old. For more information about getting involved in PSO, email psojaguars@plsd.us. Lydia Freudenberg is an editor. Feedback welcome at lfreudenberg@ cityscenemediagroup.com.