Cavs visit CSU campus for Special Olympics basketball event
Players from the Cleveland Cavaliers visited Cleveland State's Woodling Gymnasium Feb. 5 to take part in a Special Olympics event that featured basketball drills, yoga, games, a sensory area and more.
The event, hosted by CSU in partnership with the Cavs Community Program and the Special Olympics, is held annually in the spring to give special education students in surrounding schools the opportunity to meet the team whilst exercising.
This year, 14 programs from local middle and high schools attended the event, including Olmsted Falls High School, North Royalton Middle School and St. Edward High School.
Joanna DeMarco, the chair of the department of health science and human performance at CSU, said the goal of the event was to make sure every student has a good time no matter what their restrictions may be.
“We always make it student-centered,” DeMarco said. “We spend time looking at every detail to make sure it’s accessible. It’s like we’re rolling out the red carpet.”
To help her roll out the red carpet, DeMarco had a big crew of volunteers from CSU athletics, students in health and sciences and grad students. All of them were involved in some capacity, whether it was running a station, checking in participants or just hanging out.
The event, among others that DeMarco hosts throughout the year, was a way for CSU students to get involved in serving the special education community by providing disability-friendly access to physical education, fitness opportunities and healthcare screenings.
“It’s super important because a lot of times this group doesn’t have access to healthcare,” DeMarco said. “It also gives our CSU students the opportunity to learn within different populations.”
This year, Ashley Adams, an occupational therapy graduate student, created a sensory area for students to unwind and relax if they were feeling overstimulated. The sensory area is just one example of how CSU students were able to practice hands-on experience within the special education community during this event.
According to DeMarco, CSU will continue to host this event alongside the Special Olympics organization.
Cleveland is making a bid to host the 2030 National Special Olympics, supported by Gov. Mike DeWine.
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