Just got another press release from our friends at Special Olympics Southern California, based out of Long Beach. Looks like for the fourth year, the finalists for the John Wooden Award will work with a SOSC basketball team—a great event, check it out if you’re free this Saturday!
In one of the most unique and exciting opportunities in collegiate basketball, the John R. Wooden Award finalists will coach four Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC) basketball teams in a tournament to be hosted at the LA Athletic Club (LAAC) on Friday, April 10 (see schedule below). For the first year, the tournament is sponsored by the Southern California offices of Grant Thornton LLP, the U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd, one of the six global audit, tax and advisory organizations.
Each Wooden Award finalist is assigned to one of the SOSC teams, and trades his or her playing experience for an afternoon of coaching, calling timeouts, leading huddles and calling plays. The top five 2009 men’s and women’s finalists are:
Top Men: Tyler Hansbrough, University of North Carolina; DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh; and Blake Griffin, University of Oklahoma.
Top Women: Courtney Paris, University of Oklahoma, and Maya Moore, University of Connecticut.
This is the fourth consecutive year the Wooden Award finalists have coached Special Olympics athletes at the annual tournament. Upon conclusion of the tournament one SOSC athlete is awarded the Patrick McClenahan Most Valuable Player Award. McClenahan, Vice President and Station Manager for CBS2/KCAL9, is SOSC’s Chairman of the Board. The Wooden Award winners will be announced at a banquet following the tournament.
Schedule for April 10
Time:
10:15 a.m. – All-Americans meet with teams
11:15 a.m. – First Game
11:45 a.m. – Second Game
12:30 p.m. – Championship Game
1:05 p.m. – Awards; Q & A with the Wooden Award finalists; Team Photo
Place:
Los Angeles Athletic Club
431 West Seventh Street
Wooden Award Basketball Court, 6th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90014