USC's Special Olympics College Club hosts many games and events for aspiring athletes with intellectual disabilities.
Last Friday, the club hosted its Unified Basketball event at the Strom Thurmond Wellness and Fitness Center. The event lasted nearly two hours and had athletes participate in various basketball activities, such as knockout, free-throw challenges and scrimmages. Students encouraged the athletes by cheering when they scored.
The club, which is sponsored by Special Olympics South Carolina, is in its second year and was founded by former president of the club and recent graduate Keaton Bentley.
One of its original members is third-year psychology student Lauren Maffei, who joined after participating in Unified P.E. her senior year of high school. When Bentley graduated, Maffei took over as club president.
"I was first a little bit weary of it," Maffei said. "I didn't know if it was something I could really be a part of, see myself be a part of. But I started to fall in love with it and now it's something I really want to do as a career."
Kaela Obernesser, a second-year exercise science student, joined the club last semester after being involved with Special Olympics in high school and was impressed with the participation on Friday.
"We had a really great turnout today," Obernesser said. "It was super fun. That's probably one of the biggest events they've had ever, so it was really great."
According to Special Olympics' website, its goal is to "provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities."
For participators, it aims to "develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship." It hosts events in communities worldwide, giving opportunities to intellectually disabled athletes.
Events like Unified Basketball give intellectually disabled athletes a chance to participate in sports and helps erase the stigma. Maffei thinks Special Olympics events can not only improve the club's membership, but make athletes more comfortable with who they are.
Ryan Lubaczewski, a fourth-year public health student, believes it's important for students embrace the athletes, even if they have preconceived notions about Special Olympics.
"Some people make assumptions based on what they hear, based on what they think they know," Lubaczewski said. "But I love it when these athletes show up and impress everyone and show them that hey, they're a lot more capable than people give them credit for initially."
Lubaczewski first connected with Bentley at a tennis tournament. After the two became friends, Bentley invited Lubaczewski to help launch the club. Lubaczewski deeply values the relationships he's built with other members.
"The thing I take away from Special Olympics is all throughout my career is just community," Lubaczewski said. "The fact that we're able to come together, USC students and our Special Olympics athletes from all over the area, to form the cohesive group even though we're not well acquainted with each other."
Lubaczewski later introduced Justin Tanner, a third-year supply chain student, to the club. On Friday, the two helped the athletes participating with basketball fundamentals and kept each station organized. Tanner mentioned the importance of celebrating the athletes.
"When an athlete scores a point, everybody claps for them," Tanner said. "You see the smile on their face. It lights up the world."
In addition to basketball, the club hosts other events, including the Gamecock Polar Plunge and Play and Laugh: Community Game Night.
While some of the events don't involve sports, they all help foster a sense of community for special needs individuals on campus.
Maffei believes the club's biggest mission is to make its members feel comfortable with people who are different from them, even if it seems intimidating at first.
"The beauty of inclusion," Maffei said. "Just treat others as the way you want to be treated, and understand that there's different challenges people go through."