BOSTON, Mass. – Nearly 120 Special Olympians will be taking part in a clinic and basketball tournament in Tansey Gymnasium this Sunday (January 26) as the Wentworth Institute of Technology Athletic Department continues its partnership with the Massachusetts Special Olympics.

Beginning at 9:00 a.m., the athletes will take part in five different drill stations, designed to work on specific, basketball-related skills while emphasizing the importance of teamwork. Following the clinic, the athletes will join their teams to begin tournament play, which is scheduled to run from 9:45 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Ten teams – spread over three divisions – are expected to take part in the event.

Wentworth student-athletes – representing all 16 of the Leopards’ varsity sports – will be on hand to serve as clinicians, officials, scorers, and timers, as well as serving as spectators during the games.

This marks the third event that Wentworth has hosted for Special Olympians in the last 15 months. In October of 2012 and 2013, the department held soccer clinics prior to home games on Sweeney Field and athletes from the Special Olympics were also a part of the pre-game introductions, getting to come on the field when the Leopard starting lineups were introduced.

Wentworth’s partnership with the Special Olympics is a part of an NCAA Division III initiative. The Division III Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) initiated a partnership with the Special Olympics at the 2011 NCAA Convention and the official launch of the partnership was August 1, 2011.

The purpose of the partnership is to improve the lives of Special Olympics athletes through their involvement with Division III student-athletes and to foster a mutual learning experience between Division III student-athletes and Special Olympics athletes; to provide a platform for recognition of Special Olympics athletes; and to raise awareness about Special Olympics and the programs and services provided.

The partnership will serve as another opportunity to demonstrate the citizenship and comprehensive learning attributes of Division III student-athletes. Student-athletes giving back to their local (and often national and international) communities not only adds to the comprehensive learning component of Division III, but also provides a venue for passion and service.