Special outing for Lakes’ big-hearted team
They’ll never forget those smiles.
Big, bright and full of joy, they were all the thanks the players on the Lakes girls basketball team needed for spending more than 12 hours last Sunday helping out at a Special Olympics tournament in Cicero.
The Eagles are involved in various community service projects throughout the year, but in Cicero, where teams of teenaged Special Olympians were trying to qualify for the Illinois state games, they went all out. The Eagles ran the scoreboards, kept stats, led cheers, served lunch and handed out trophies and medals to the participants.
“One kid made a shot and turned to everyone in the stands, and all the coaches and to all of us and he just put his thumbs up and started smiling. It was so touching,” Lakes junior guard Nicole Mogged said. “You could tell how much fun he was having and how much he loves the game.
“You don’t forget something like that. That’s why I love going and helping out. It’s also great for our team because when you’re doing something good, it brings you together. It’s an awesome experience.”
This is the second year in a row that the Eagles have donated their time and services to the Special Olympics tournament. More than 50 people from the program, including parents, participated this time around and plans are already being made for a return trip next year.
“It’s so amazing to work with those kids,” Lakes junior guard Amanda Smith said. “They might be disabled and challenged, but they are so passionate and they never give up. They sprint up and down the floor, they go after every ball, they don’t care about (the obstacles) they face. That has been really inspiring to me.
“I just love going there. When you see those kids, it just makes you feel so great about doing whatever you can to give back to other people.”
Basketball season just wouldn’t be basketball season for the Eagles without at least a few opportunities to do that. For instance this winter, in addition to the Special Olympics, they’ve helped head coach Pete Schneider run a free weekly basketball camp for kids in the area, giving up some of their practice time to do it. They’ve also established a deep relationship with the residents of Victory Lakes, a local senior assisted living facility.
“Getting our youth involved in helping others makes them better citizens,” Schneider said. “They learn to have compassion and that helps all of us. The Special Olympics tournament was a great event and we’ve really worked to build a relationship with (the residents of) Victory Lakes. They are very warm and friendly.”
The Eagles decorated Victory Lakes for the holidays and visit residents occasionally. They also invited residents to one of their recent home games. The residents ate popcorn, wore Lakes apparel and cheered loudly for the Eagles.
“We have gotten to know some of them because we go over there and spend time with them,” Smith said of the residents of Victory Lakes. “It was so cute to see them so happy and cheering for us.”
The Eagles left that game, as well as their day at the Special Olympics tournament, not only with a good feeling, but with another lesson learned.
“Coach Schneider teaches us about basketball, but he also teaches us about good character,” Mogged said. “Every day at practice he gives us these quotes about being a better person and when you do some of the things we’ve done, you feel like a better person and you realize how many gifts you have and how blessed you are.”
Smith and Mogged say they’ll continue to devote time to others long after they leave Lakes.
“Coach Schneider is one of the most generous people I know and I think he’s gotten that to rub off on us,” Smith said.