Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau

Special Olympics athletes from across Kansas are preparing for the annual Basketball & Cheerleading Competition at Gross Memorial Coliseum, Hays High School and Hays Recreation Center on March 16-18. Last year 1300 athletes competed on various basketball teams and cheerleading squads in the tournament, and event organizers are calling on the Hays community for volunteers – 450 of them.

“You do not have to be a basketball player to help,” Sheila Rehder, Games Chair, stated. “Volunteer training is offered at the event and does not require specialized skills or ability to shoot three-pointers. It just takes a big heart with a matching smile, a few hours, and the ability to hand out a lot of high fives to athletes.”

This year 150 games are scheduled to be played during the three-day competition. Volunteer options include being scorekeepers, timers, or “runners,” who take care of keeping teams together and taking them to different stations. Approximately 75 volunteers are needed on Thursday for scoring and timing at skill stations.

Tim Rehder, Senior Vice President of Program Operations, has been working with Special Olympics for 20 years. He even met his wife Sheila through Special Olympics.

“The support has been overwhelming for all the years we’ve been in Hays,” Rehder said. “We look forward to another event with the backing we get from the Hays community. The athletes say it’s one of their favorite trips of the year. They love getting out and spending 3 days in Hays.”

For specific information on volunteering, contact Clint Armistead at 800-444-9803 ext. 111 or [email protected]. Volunteer registration is also available online at www.ksso.org/volunteer.

The Kansas State Council of the Knights of Columbus is the Presenting Sponsor of the 2017 Tournament.