Oak Lawn Eagles 'Scrimmage It Out' Saturday At Sweet 16 Special Rec Basketball Day

OAK LAWN, IL — If you’re looking for another team to cheer for, then head over to Richards High School this Saturday, Jan. 24, for Oak Lawn Park District’s Special Recreation basketball games, featuring the Oak Lawn Eagles, Junior Jordans and Oak Lawn Pep Squad.

Doors open for the Sweet Sixteen Special Rec All-Star Basketball Day at noon, with opening ceremonies starting at 12:30 p.m. at Richards High School, 10601 Central Ave., Oak Lawn.

The Oak Lawn Eagles offers adults with developmental abilities and intellectual challenges the chance to get exercise, develop their athletic skills to compete in Special Olympics Illinois, and build friendships. It’s a day athletes look forward to all year, Oak Lawn Parks Special Recreation Supervisor Todd Mallo told Patch.

“The friendships are huge,” Mallo said. “These players have known each other since they were 8 and 9 years old, playing on the Junior Jordans. Their families are friends.”

This year, the baton has been passed from parent sponsors Anne and Dan Fritz, to Joanne and Phil Gowask, who will take the lead in organizing the games over the next three years. Both couples support the Special Recreation Athletic Support Association cooperative. The parent board of SRASA separate from the park district raises money to help families with extra costs, such as purchasing uniforms and equipment, and training for the Special Olympics Illinois games.

The games have also rotated to a new venue, Richards High School, 10601 S. Central Ave., Oak Lawn, which will host the games for the next three years. Other venues in the past have included Mother McAuley, Brother Rice, Marist, Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School, St. Linus and, most recently, Oak Lawn Community High School.

“It has been a wonderful program for all these participants,” said Joanne Gowaski, the parent of a Special Olympics athlete. “They develop their basketball skills, learn to be a team player and a good friend.”

The Oak Lawn Eagles’ A, B, C and D teams will scrimmage it out in four inter-squad exhibition games.

The Junior Jordans, for players 8 through 15, will treat the crowd to a dazzling display of basketball skills.

Cheering from the sidelines and taking the court at half-time will be the effervescent Oak Lawn Pep Squad, who’ll be pairing on some routines with the Richards cheerleaders.

For her son, Ethan, 23, who recently aged out of a post-high school transition program, Gowaski said the basketball program has enabled him, as with other young adults, to remain socially connected.

“To have that consistency with special recreation has been great,” Gowaski said. “He still has the basketball program and all these friendships.”

Gowaski said her son has belonged to the program since he was nine, playing for the Junior Jordans.

“Ethan loves basketball and took to it pretty quickly,” Gowaski told Patch. “I was a little leery at first because he as so tiny, and then I saw another little player. These kids were all so cognizant of one another. He enjoyed it right from the get-go.”

The park district’s special rec basketball teams draw players from Bridgeview, Burbank, Evergreen Park, Chicago Ridge, Palos Heights, Palos Hills, Summit, Clyde Park, Crestwood and Hometown. Participants’ range in age from high school to 40. Many of the players have been shooting hoops together since 2005.

Admission to the Special Rec All Star Basketball Games is free, but donations are gratefully accepted. Oak Lawn Bank & Trust is a major sponsor and donor of this event. Concessions will be available for purchase. Whittingham Meats, 4134 S. 127th St., Alsip, has donated 350 hot dogs and Palermo's will be supplying the pizza. Split-the-pot, TV raffle and Nothing Bundt Cake and other raffles TBA.

The parents cooperative will be raffling off a giant TV, with additional prizes including a Bundt Of The Month membership donated by Nothing Bundt Cakes and split-the-pot. Last minute raffle prizes will also be accepted.