Bowling Green Special Olympics takes over Diddle Arena

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - The first ever Bowling Green Special Olympics “Diddle Takeover” was in full force today.

This event showcased the athlete’s talents and their love for basketball.

Many of them spend a lot of time in Diddle Arena watching their favorite players, but this time it was their turn to take the stage.

“They get to play under the lights. Again, be in a place that they so often come to watch some of their heroes, you know Western Kentucky, whether its the Lady Tops or the Hilltopper basketball team you know they look up to those athletes,” says Cameron Levis, Special Populations Instructor for Bowling Green Parks & Rec.

Special Olympics athlete Noah Bunton says his favorite part is shooting the ball.

Bunton says, “I get to play basketball, pass to my team, I’m gonna shoot it, and guard something.”

Teams and fans celebrated halftime with a performance from the cheerleaders.

Levis says their goal is to coordinate more events like this for the community to come out and acknowledge the talents of these athletes.

“I just think that anytime we can give people with disabilities an opportunity to showcase the abilities that they do have, it gives communities an opportunity to accept that population a little more and include them in our daily lives, and sports and recreation are a great way to do that,” says Levis.

Bunton ended his first game on the court scoring a whopping four points in the first five minutes.

Fans say events like this is what keeps the athletes going.

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