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Seattle Storm help Special Olympics athletes at Kentwood High event

Published 1:01 pm Thursday, October 24, 2024

By Steve Hunter

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The Seattle Storm basketball team worked with Special Olympics players and coaches during an Oct. 22 event at Kentwood High School. COURTESY PHOTO, Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm basketball team worked with Special Olympics players and coaches during an Oct. 22 event at Kentwood High School. COURTESY PHOTO, Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm basketball team worked with Special Olympics players and coaches during an Oct. 22 event at Kentwood High School. COURTESY PHOTO, Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm basketball team worked with Special Olympics players and coaches during an Oct. 22 event at Kentwood High School. COURTESY PHOTO, Seattle Storm

Representatives of the Seattle Storm shared basketball skills with Special Olympics athletes Oct. 22 at Kentwood High School as part of a Be Well WA campaign by the state Department of Health.

It was the final event of a season-long partnership between the Storm and the state to increase access to sports and encourage young Washingtonians to increase movement in their daily lives, according to a state Department of Health media release.

The partnership included several events at Storm home games, sponsored messaging and a unique take on the Annual Storm Academy. Traditionally, the academy focused on students considering the health field as a viable option after high school. This year, the Be Well WA partnership with Special Olympics Washington allowed the academy to focus on specialized adaptive training for community sports coaches on how to increase accessibility and trauma informed practices to ensure every child in the community has access to sports.

Be Well WA encourages everyone to “find your apple,” a playful nod to the saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” and the very fruit our state is famous for producing. The campaign has opened doors to partnerships with school districts, local clubs and the Special Olympics Washington.

The pairing of student athletes with professional ones allows them to not only learn from the best but provides a memorable experience for all involved, ensuring equity in sports, according to the state Department of Health. The Special Olympics coaches were thrilled to learn at the academy and to bring their athletes back to work with Storm players.

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