Special Olympic team set for state

Special Olympics

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The Mahoning County Public Special Olympics school age division 12-21-year old basketball team will play against the East section team in a semifinal game today at 8 p.m. in the Special Olympics state basketball tournament at Bowling Green State University.

The coaches emphasize basic basketball skills.

VINDICATOR STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWNS — The Mahoning County Public Special Olympics school age division 12-21-year old basketball team will play against the East section team in a semifinal game today at 8 p.m. in the Special Olympics state basketball tournament at Bowling Green State University.

If it wins, the team will play Saturday at 3 p.m. for the title and in a consolation game if it loses. Thirty-two teams, representing 24 counties, are entered in the tournament.

Mahoning County players making the trip for the tournament will be Ellis Thomas, Derrick Rex, Dante Graziani, John Michael Snitzer, Patrick Weiry, Jared Ausnehmer, Michael Ramirez, Lucas Perruzzi and Justin Sopkovich.

Other players on the squad that won’t be going are Anthony Hartwic, Tracia Collins and Francesca Bagnola.

Carolyn Thomas, in her third year as coach, said, “The kids play well together. We teach each kid different skills and adjust the training program around their disabilities.”

Melvin Thomas, Carolyn’s husband, is an assistant coach, along with Elliott Thomas, their son, and Angelo Perruzzi.

Mahoning County practiced Thursday at the Downtown YMCA in preparation for the tournament. The team (6-2) earned its trip to Bowling Green as it won the North section Olympic Basketball Championships at Lorain, posting a 2-0 record.

“If a player has trouble consistently with dribbling, we put a spot on the floor and he has to dribble and concentrate on that spot,” said Melvin Thomas. “Another thing we do is insist that they only bounce pass the basketball because it’s a much safer and it’s not likely that the basketball will get stolen very often and that’s been one of the keys to our success.”

“We teach the kids basketball basics of dribbling, bounce passing and shooting off the backboard for layups and the kids really love to learn those skills,” said Carolyn Thomas.

She said, “Everybody gets a chance to play and a chance to score in every one of our games.”

“We teach everybody to win as a training tool and when they lose we use that as a training tool and work on those things to help them to improve,” said Carolyn Thomas.

“Parents are very supportive of everything we try to teach kids and they work with their children at home in their basements teaching them basic skills.”