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It’s well known throughout Winchester that local basketball teams have a chance to compete at the state tournament. 

This year, the opportunities went beyond the squads at George Rogers Clark High School. 

For the first time in its history, the Clark County KY Special Olympics basketball team competed at the 2024 Special Olympics Kentucky State Basketball Tournament held March 8-9.. 

“I think we had a great season,” said Alison Conley, who helps coach the team and is a teacher of exceptional children at GRC. “The kids played so well and we’re so proud of them.” 

In total. 35 teams competed at the MidAmerica Sports Center in Louisville. 

To qualify, teams compete in a series of Regional Tournaments held throughout the state in February. 

Clark County KY Special Olympics is no secret to tournament victories, having taken home first place in the 2024 Rebel Run Tournament in Owen County. 

If a team didn’t qualify to compete in the State Tournament, they could still be involved by partaking in the Team Skills Competition on Saturday. 

Demonstrating that teams came from near and far to participate, Clark County took on the Murray Rockets Gray from far out west in a first-round 9:00 a.m. matchup. 

Despite a valiant effort, the team came up just shy in a 20-13 defeat. 

Among the many players who stood out was Mayson Letcher. 

“I loved watching him hustle. He never gave up even when we were down,” said Conley. 

Conley also pointed out Hayden Arnold, noting that his effort to help the team extended beyond the court. 

“I was really proud of [him] for making a three on Saturday, and even showing chivalry afterward by sharing his jacket with another player. They were cold,” she said. “That’s a big deal. He saw her get cold and he took his jacket off [and] put it on her.” 

While the games were engaging, they were far from the only highlight of the weekend. 

Additionally, athletes got to go to the local mall, stop by a theater, enjoy a dinner and dance, and more.

“They had a great time!” Conley added. 

Such experiences tie into what is arguably the most satisfying part for many involved. 

“It was good to see all the athletes’ growth on and off the court,” said Lindsay Waggoner, a fellow coach and teacher of exceptional children at Baker Intermediate School. 

While the basketball season may have concluded, athletics as a whole have not as unified track takes place in the spring. 

Perhaps as no surprise, during a year that has seen the likes of Clark County Public Schools Superintendent Dustin Howard, George Rogers Clark High School Principal Luke Toy, former Winchester Mayor Ed Burtner, and many more attend games, Waggoner points to such support as motivating. 

“[I’ve enjoyed] the amazing community involvement that we’ve had, and how the students have been made to feel so valued,” Waggoner said. “They were just so excited for people coming to watch them and talk about their games while they were at school.”