The Aroostook County Snowdogs will have three teams participating in this year’s Special Olympics state basketball tournament, taking place Saturday, March 19 at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham.
Brian Hamel, the team’s volunteer head coach, said the 33 athletes and one manager participating this season make it the largest squad in his five years with the team.
The Snowdogs have enjoyed a tremendous season to date, and it has been a busy one with games against the Presque Isle girls’ and boys’ high school teams and the Caribou boys’ team.
The squad also participated in the Special Olympics Skills Competition in January and were the guests of honor at the Wildcat boys’ regular season game against Washington Academy, where they were warmly greeted in the gym full of spectators.
“I am extremely proud of the way in which the Snowdogs have represented themselves, their families and their community on and off the basketball court,” Hamel said. “The team has worked extremely hard at developing and improving their basketball skills and I know they will represent themselves well at the state tournament.”
Hamel said the team’s appearance at this tournament, which involves two nights at a hotel, meals at restaurants and attendance at an NBA Development League Maine Red Claws basketball game where we will be the guest of honor and wave the court-sized American Flag during the National Anthem, would not have been possible without the financial support of so many individuals and businesses who have allowed them to experience a trip of a lifetime.
“We will be forever grateful for the generosity of our donors,” Hamel added.
