Special Rec All-Stars Hit The Court Saturday for 'Basketball Day'

OAK LAWN, IL — One of the events we missed last year during the pandemic was the Special Recreation All-Star Basketball Games. Well, the Junior Jordans and Oak Lawn Eagles are bringing their game back this Saturday, Jan. 22. The teams will be playing at Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School, 5345 W. 99th St. (54th Avenue and 99th Street). Doors open at noon, with an opening ceremony at 12:30 p.m. and the games starting at 1 p.m.

In 2020, the Oak Lawn Park District's Special Recreation All-Stars managed to squeeze in their January event right before the state shut down at the beginning of the pandemic. Last year the event was cancelled.

“This is a day most of these athletes look forward to all year,” said Anne Fritz, who with her husband, Dan, is organizing this year’s game. “With the cancellation of last year’s event, the all-star games on Saturday will be the biggest crowd they have played to in a very long time.”

Participants’ ages range from 8 to 40. Many of the players have been shooting hoops together since 2005, in the Oak Lawn Park District’s Special Recreation program. The special recreation cooperative districts include Evergreen Park, Bridgeview, Chicago Ridge, Crestwood, Hometown and Cicero.

Cropping up on Fritz’s Facebook memories are photos of her son, Benjamin, now 16, with his friend, Henry Kirckl, 16, from past all-star games of 10 years ago, traditionally held on the third Saturday in January.

“For Benjamin, this event has brought out the performer in him,” Fritz said. “Giving him the confidence to ham-it-up in front of a large crowd. That confidence helps him in all aspects of his life.”

The Oak Lawn Eagles and Junior Jordans will split their teams and square off against each other, with a spectacular half-time show presented by the Oak Lawn Pep Squad. While the squads will be playing before hundreds of family members and friends, the rest of the town is invited to pack the house, too.

This is an inspiring afternoon where the Eagles and Junior Jordans will not only be showing how well they can play the game of basketball, they'll be raising money for the Special Recreation Athletic Support Association cooperative. SRASA is a parent organization separate from the park district, that raises money to help families with extra costs, purchase uniforms and equipment, and training for the Special Olympics Illinois games.

Admission to the Special Recreation All-Star Basketball Games is free, but donations will be accepted at the door. SRASA will be raffling off a big screen TV and a Nothing Bundt Cake "Bundt of the Month Club Membership." There will also be a Split-the-Pot and Basketball Day 'swag' for sale.

Concessions will not be sold this year, which would trigger Cook County’s proof-of-vaccination mandate. Face masks, however, are required to be worn inside school buildings in Illinois.

The players and pep squad have been practicing for weeks for the Saturday’s event. During a recent visit to a basketball game against the Richards Bulldogs special rec team, the players were wearing face masks, and except for the occasional gulp from a water bottle, everyone’s eyes were smiling.

Let’s hope in 2023 we’ll be able to see the rest of their smiling faces.

~ This story has been updated with new information.