Streamwood Parks employee wins Special Olympics bronze medal

Posted March 12, 2024 8:46 am

Submitted by Streamwood Park District

With the 2024 Paris Olympics a scant few months away, the Streamwood Park District is proud to recognize one of its own Olympians for his achievement this past weekend.

Parks employee Doug Burson and his team from Fox Valley Special Recreation took home the bronze medal at the Special Olympics’ state basketball tournament March 9-10 in Bloomington-Normal.

Burson, a member of the park district’s playgrounds crew, has been competing in Special Olympics for over 30 years and is a multiple medal-winning athlete in basketball, softball, volleyball and power lifting.

“His positive, upbeat attitude makes everyone he encounters walk away with a smile,” said parks Manager Jimmy Schmidt. “Doug is a pleasure to work with and an asset to our district.”

The Special Olympics Illinois state basketball tournament is one of 13 state sports competitions. It is the championship level competition for those participating in team and individual skills basketball.

A native of Aurora, Burson will be back in the medal hunt this summer as he competes in the power lifting competition in June.

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