City of Mobile Special Olympics Basketball Team Goes for the Gold

Jun 14th, 2018

Mobile, Ala.-- The Mobile Hurricanes, the City of Mobile Special Olympics Basketball Team, will represent Mobile and the State of Alabama in the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle from June 30th through
July 7th.

The Hurricanes are a City therapeutic recreation program and are led by Head Coach LaDarrel Bell, a Therapeutic Recreation Specialist.

"The Mobile Hurricanes unified basketball team is a City of Mobile Therapeutic Recreation Program that is helping special needs athletes turn their disabilities into abilities," said Bell.

The roster includes David Johnson, Edmund Patton, Victor Powell, Antonio Denson, Carlos Actkins, Darius Lett, Horace Withers, Anthony Haig, Orlando Ellis, and Jiles Anderson.

In 2016, the Mobile Hurricanes competed in the Special Olympics Alabama 2016 State Basketball Tournament for the first time and won first place. In 2017, the Hurricanes returned to the tournament where they became back to back champions and earned their spot to compete in the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games.

The 2018 Special Olympics USA Games will be nationally televised on ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC. Special thanks to sponsors who have made the Hurricanes' success possible including Mobile's Finish Line Store who donated basketball sneakers to all of the athletes.

In preparation for the Olympic Games, the Cottage Hill Christian Academy is providing their facilities to the Hurricanes to practice. The public is invited to attend a scrimmage between the Cottage Hill Christian Academy Varsity Boys Basketball Team and the Mobile Hurricanes on Thursday, June 21, at 6pm in the Cottage Hill Warrior Gymnasium. All proceeds will cover the Hurricanes' expenses.

"Please come out and support the Hurricanes during their scrimmage in Mobile and be sure to tune in as they compete in the Special Olympics Games," said Mayor Stimpson. "We are incredibly proud of these athletes and the coaches and staff in our therapeutic recreation program. I also want to thank Cottage Hill Christian Academy for offering their space to our team and all of the donors who gave equipment, uniforms and other materials needed. It's amazing to watch our community rally around these determined athletes. "