Students Beam with Joy at the Hardin County Special Olympics Skills Day Event

Joy beamed from the eyes of young students as they walked through the halls of King Horn. The sun was shining through the windows, the weather warmed up, and, best of all, there was a day full of games and activities that awaited them.

Ohio Northern’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) hosted a Special Olympics Skills Day event in partnership with Special Olympics Ohio at the beginning of March. More than one hundred students and families from Hardin County gathered in the sports center to practice their basketball skills with collegiate athletes. 

Students were able to participate in a variety of basketball drills from passing the ball to friends across the court to perfecting their layups. A game room was included in the station rotation and featured mini golf, a Nintendo Switch, and other table activities. A sensory room was available in the golf lab around the corner to provide a calm, quiet space. 

President Melissa Baumann helped kick off the event by thanking Special Olympics Ohio and SAAC volunteers. She then hyped up the students for the activities that were about to take place, eliciting cheers from the young crowd.

Baumann told Northern Review, “These children… just bring a smile to your face, and we love being able to host this event… It’s great to showcase the university, but I think more importantly, it’s important for us to help out and be a part of the community.”

Ohio Northern’s partnership with Special Olympics Ohio impacted not only young students, but the university’s student-athletes as well. Softball infielder Allie Wilson volunteered on the basketball courts alongside teammates Laine Howell and Callie Rosser. The trio dedicated their time to assisting students who were practicing their layups, cheering them on as they shot the ball in the air.  

“We’re fortunate to be able to give back to our community and have these kids come here and get to participate in a fun activity with us,” Wilson reflected during the event.

Senior Brooke Allen expressed similar sentiments and noted how important the event was to her as a basketball player herself. She wrote, “I think it’s important to give back to what made us who we are today. Basketball is a big piece of how I became the woman I am today, and I want to take any chance I have to share that opportunity with others.”

The Skills Day elicited bittersweet emotions in Allen. She had played her last collegiate basketball game less than a week prior, and the event was the first time she had returned to the courts since.

I left the event with a full heart. It was the first time I stepped into the gym after we found out our season was over, and I officially became a retired athlete. I couldn’t think of a better way to step back onto the court than to be at the Special Olympics day event. The students brought in so much energy and were excited for what we had planned for them. Even at the start of stretches, everyone could feel the energy they were bringing to the gym. Cheering for them after they shot the ball and seeing the smiles on their faces made me smile even more. They started cheering for each other too, which is what team sports is all about. I hope that we brought joy into their day. Basketball is more than a game — it’s a pathway for people to smile, create memories, and enjoy themselves. I hope the students and teachers got a taste of this in joining our athletics community for the day.

– Brooke Allen

The SAAC volunteers ensured that each student felt included in the day’s events by being a friendly face and a supportive mentor. The Skills Day brought the community together to participate in an activity they all enjoy: sports.