Du Quoin welcomes 28 teams for Special Olympics tournament
Twenty-eight traveling softball teams will compete at the 6th annual girls' winter indoor softball tournament Jan. 16-18, 2015 at the Southern Illinois Center in Du Quoin Illinois. All proceeds from the tournament will benefit Special Olympics Illinois Southern/Area 15. The tournament has raised over $250,000 in the last five years for Special Olympics Illinois.
Girls softball teams from across Southern and Central Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, and Kentucky will compete in the following age groups: 12 & under, 14 & under, and 16 & under. Competition will begin at 5 p.m. on Friday Jan. 16 and continue through Sunday Jan. 18, with each team playing a minimum of three games in this double-elimination tournament.
All proceeds provide support to over 1200 athletes competing with Special Olympics Illinois Southern Area 15, which serves individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the following counties: Alexander, Franklin, Jackson, Johnson, Massac, Perry, Pulaski, Randolph, Union and Williamson.
Opening Ceremonies for the tournament will be held at 12 noon on Saturday Jan. 18, at the S.I. Center, where all competing teams, tournament sponsors, community leaders, special guests, and honorary Special Olympics Illinois Athletes will be introduced and honored at this time. Fans are encouraged to come out and cheer for all teams throughout the weekend. For more tournament information, please visit www.southernillinoisindoorsoftball.org.
Presenting Sponsors are Ward Chrysler Center of Carbondale, Ward KIA Center of Carbondale, Knight Hawk Coal L.L.C, and the Mathis Family in Du Quoin Illinois. Supporting sponsors are Banterra Bank, (Du Quoin) Indoor Softball Inc, One Main Financial (Marion and Carbondale), Sam's Club (Marion), Fenton's Custom and Collision, B.A.M Tarps and Liners, Country Financial, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and Alongi's Italian Restaurant in Du Quoin.
As part of the Tournament weekend, Caitlin Asbury and Saluki's for Special Olympics, an RSO on the campus of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, will be on hand as part of the Spread the Word to End the Word Campaign. The Spread the Word to End the Word Campaign is an on-going effort by Special Olympics Illinois, two Special Olympics Best Buddies and supporters to build awareness in society to stop and think about its use of the word - "retard(ed)." The Campaign, created by youth, is intended to engage schools, organizations, and communities to rally and pledge their support and promote the inclusion and acceptance of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. There will be a pledge booth set up throughout the weekend.
Beaver Rice Baseball Tournament
Twenty-two traveling baseball teams will compete at the 2015 Beaver Rice Memorial Boys Baseball Wood Bat Winter Indoor Classic at the Southern Illinois Center in Du Quoin Illinois Jan. 30 - Feb. 2015. All proceeds from the tournament will benefit Special Olympics Illinois Southern/Area 15.
Boys Baseball teams from across Southern Illinois and Kentucky will compete in the inaugural tournament with Lee's Sports and Rawlings providing the bats for the tournament. Teams will compete in the following age groups: 10 & under, 11 & under, and 12 & under. Competition will begin at 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 30 and continue through Sunday Feb. 1, with each team playing a minimum of three games in this double elimination tournament.
Opening Ceremonies for the tournament will be at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31, at the S.I. Center, where all competing teams, tournament sponsors, community leaders, special guests, and Special Olympics Illinois athletes will be introduced and honored at this time. Two of Special Olympics Illinois Southern Area 15's boys slow-pitch softball teams, the Southern Illinois Lightning Bolts out of Marion and the Choate Panthers out of Anna, will also take part in a game during this year's opening ceremonies. Fans are encouraged to come out and cheer for all teams throughout the weekend. For more tournament information, please visit www.southernillinoisindoorsoftball.org.
Presenting Sponsors are Lee's Sports and Rawlings. Supporting sponsors are Indoor Softball Inc. Ward Chrysler, Ward KIA, Knight Hawk Coal, Country Financial, Southern Illinois University, Banterra Bank and Alongi's Italian Restaurant in Du Quoin.