18 Aug 2022 State Basketball Tournament in Butte
We are excited to announce the return of the statewide in-person competition, ๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐ข๐น๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ธ๐ฒ๐๐ฏ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐ง๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐! The official announcement took place at a press conference in the host city of Butte on Tuesday, August 16.
After two years of modified skills competitions and localized events, the statewide, in-person tournament will take place November 10-12 in Butte.ย
More than 700 athletes, 180 coaches and chaperones, plus hundreds of families and friends from across Montana travel to watch the athletes compete in two days of intense basketball competition.ย Multiple venues in Butte and Ramsay will host competitions, including 3-on-3, 5-on-5, 5-on-5 Unified, and Individual Skills competitions.ย
The Butte community was scheduled to host the tournament for the 2019-2022 seasons, but after an excellent 2019 event, the plan had to be adapted to fit the times. The local volunteer Games Management Team is excited to have one moreย opportunity to show the rest of the state what Butte can do as it hosts this amazing event in November of 2022!ย In the words of Co-Director Bill McGladdery, โWeโre going to knock their socks off!โ.ย
A group of more than 25 volunteers, called the Games Management Team (lead by co-directors Paul Babb and Bill McGladdery) is working to plan all facets of the tournament from the competition to providing food and housing for the athletes and their coaches.
It takes more than 500 volunteers to put on the State Basketball Tournament. Special Olympics Montana will work with businesses, organizations, and community leaders to recruit these volunteers from the local community. Anyone interested can see the manyย volunteer opportunities availableย during the 3-day tournament.
Donors and sponsors are crucial to the execution of the tournament.ย Special Olympics Montana is proud to announce that Town Pump has graciously agreed to support the tournament as the premier sponsor.ย Other key sponsors identified to date include the Gianforte Family Foundation, Harrington Pepsi. Montana Rib & Chop House, NorthWestern Energy, Dick Anderson Construction and the Butte-Silver Bow TBID with many others cuing up their support.ย
Heather Raymond, Special Olympics athlete joins Rhonda McCarty, President/CEO and Brittani Bush, Vice President of Sports for of Special Olympics Montana at the press conference announcing the return ofย the statewide in-person competition.
ย The 2022 State Basketball Tournament Co-Directors Paul Babb and Bill McGladdery are joined by Special Olympics athletes Heather Raymond and Ruschelle Tyvand.