PARC PIRATES Know How to Play the Game
The PARC Pirates participated in the Special Olympics Illinois District E Basketball Tournament on Sunday, January 27, 2008 at the Pekin Community High School. They played two games, one against the IRVSA Pekin 2 team and one against the HISRA Cubs. Did they win either of the games? No. Did they give a winning effort? The answer is a resounding YES!
Grantland Rice, one of the best-loved sportswriters ever, could capture the drama of an event with a lead paragraph that perfectly set the stage for the story that followed. He is best known for giving immortality to a quartet of football players by dubbing them the “Four Horsemen of Notre Dame.” What most people don’t know about Grantland Rice is that he is responsible for the well-known saying “It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game” in his poem “Alumnus Football.” The actual quote was: "For when the One Great Scorer comes to mark against your name, He writes -- not that you won or lost -- but how you played the Game."
The PARC Pirates played the game well, as did all the teams who participated in the daylong event. I am the first to admit that I am no sports expert. While I have a good understanding of the rules of the game and the basic strategies, I cannot begin to write a sports article. What I can do is write about what I saw out on the court during the games. I saw teams who exemplified “sportsmanship.”
The PARC Pirates were certainly disappointed by the loss. 
They had trained long and hard with Kelly Stegall, PARC Activities Director, and their team coach, Gary Reed. 
It is only natural to want to win. What I have noticed over the years is that it is very easy to be a proud winner; it takes a real athlete to be a good teammate no matter what the outcome of the game. The PARC Pirates have much to be proud of this season. Not so important are the wins and losses, they had a few of each. What stands out with me most post-season is the humility, decency, self-discipline, honor, good character, and respect that I saw these athletes display when they were out on the court playing the good game.
Participating in Special Olympics allows individuals with developmental disabilities to develop key skills necessary to improve their health and fitness and gives the athletes a greater self-confidence and a more positive self-image. Involvement with Special Olympics is just one way that PARC is dedicated to empowering individuals with developmental disabilities to participate in a positive quality life.
If you have any questions about the PARC Pirates participation in the tournament, please contact Kelly Stegall, PARC Activities Director, at (309) 689-3610. 
To learn more about PARC and how you can help with Special Olympics and other activities, please contact me, Sibylle LaHood (PARC Development Director) at (309) 689-3608.
View the story by WHOI-19's Ashley McNamee on the Special Olympics Basketball Tournament. Sunday, January 27, 2008 ~ The PARC (People Advocating for Respect and Consideration) Pirates compete in the Special Olympics Illinois basketball tournament. The team will not advance to the state basketball competition but they had fun, and that's what really matters.
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VIEW THE GAME ACTION AT THE EVENT PHOTO GALLERY
January 28, 2008
