| NIAGARA FALLS, NY – After three years, due to COVID and renovations to its recreation center, Niagara University once again hosted the Special Olympics New York’s Western Regional Basketball Tournament on its campus.
The tournament this past weekend in the university’s Kiernan Recreation Center, was a culminating experience for students who take the Special Olympics: Coaching and Games Management course (EDU 333/HRT 333) at Niagara University. The course is taught by Dr. Dennis Garland, associate professor of education. Sections of the course are presented by the College of Education and others by the College of Hospitality, Sport and Tourism Management. |
Special Olympics is widely known as an international organization with a mission to help persons with developmental and intellectual disabilities participate as productive and respected members of society. Athletes are offered a fair opportunity to develop and demonstrate their skills and talents through sports training and competition, and to increase the public’s awareness of their capabilities and needs. Accordingly, the Special Olympics course at NU has multiple components, including:
About 175 Special Olympians competed in this year’s event. Various Niagara University student organizations were involved, as well, including the Niagara University Student Government Association, Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority, Purple Eagles athletics, the ROTC program, Danceline, Cheer Squad, and Monte the Eagle. “We have anticipated the return of the Special Olympics New York Western Region Basketball Tournament to the Kiernan Recreation Center since 2019,” said Dr. Garland. “Our students, the university community, and our regional partners have been preparing all semester for this Saturday. The athletes who will be competing here are the heart of our partnerships in the region and are the truest model of sportsmanship. We are thrilled to celebrate the day with them and their families.” ABOUT NIAGARA UNIVERSITY: Founded by the Vincentian community in 1856, Niagara University is a comprehensive institution, blending the best of a liberal arts and professional education, grounded in our values-based Catholic tradition. Its colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Education, Hospitality, Sport and Tourism Management, and Nursing offer programs at the baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral level. As the first Vincentian university established in the United States, Niagara prepares students for personal and professional success while emphasizing service to the community in honor of St. Vincent de Paul. Niagara’s institutional commitment to service-learning has led to its inclusion on the President’s Honor Roll for Community Service every year since its inception in 2006, and its recognition with the Carnegie Foundation’s Classification for Community Engagement. |
