Saturday morning 🌄 the Bus 🚌 left Hillsville Elementary School at 8:30 am. With The Hill in the rear view mirror, Vickey Ritchie turned her focus to the new adventure awaiting her Cavaliers and Sure Shots basketball teams.
The folks who are in charge of the Special Olympics event held each year had extended a first time invitation to Ritchie and our group and the date 📅 was added to the calendar. Then the research and planning process began because Coach Vickey is also the Event Coordinator, Athletic Director and doesn’t leave anything to chance. When a person takes on a roll with the level of responsibility that being in charge brings, one wants to control EVERY controllable possible.
Virginia Milatary Institute is located in picturesque Lexington, Virginia. The area is home to three colleges in VMI, Washington and Lee & Southern Virginia University. The VMI campus is historic and spread out.
The festivities began at Marshall Hall and it was well planned, capped by a kickoff and Pep Rally, highlighted by an Olympic torch 🔦 ceremony.
Following the event kickoff, it was time to follow the Keydets across the Campus to the Hall where the actual contests were to be played. Both the Cavaliers and the Sure Shots were guaranteed two games apiece across the afternoon, so endurance has to be part of the thought process as well
Trying to guage which Athletes would enjoy the trek across the Campus and which ones would be exhausted from the experience. The group headed out, part of them on foot with the Keydets and the remaining ones on the School Bus 🚌.
The reason why getting the team from Point A to Point B is a relevant to the story of the day is that is magnifies the enormous planning that goes into every day that Vickey Ritchie takes her group on their next adventure.
Basketball 🏀 games were played from 1:00 pm until 4:45. Both of our teams played 5 on 5 Full Court while others played 3 on 3 Half Court and even more participants enjoyed the Skills Events.
Moe, the VMI Mascot, was the life of the party 🥳, from start to finish. Moe even survived the Bear Hug of the Day from one of our Athletes.
Following the final game of the afternoon, a few minutes were set aside for the Athletes to remove their shoes 👞 and participate in a dance 💃, something that was perfectly placed to fill the gap until the 5:00 dinner 🍽 at the third and final location.
After a fun filled meal, our Athletes boarded the Bus 🚌 for the trip back to The Hill. Roughly twelve hours from start to finish, by the time everyone unloaded their bags 🎒 back at Hillsville Elementary. The Athletes left the School with their new Medals 🏅 but more importantly, a treasure chest full of memories after their latest day spent with their Teammates, Famalies and the Lady 👩 that puts the ” Special ” in our Special Olympics, Vickey Ritchie.
Thank You to the four playing partners that gave up their Saturday to provide Security and Love for each of the Athletes. Keaton, Zeke, DJ and Dr. Dave.
Thank You to our hosts at VMI and the Special Olympics. They combined to create an atmosphere that would produce lasting memories. Trying to incorporate new guests to an event of this size is more of a challenge than most people could appreciate.
Thank you to every family member who made themselves available 🙏 for a brand new adventure. It made the day everything it could be.
Thank you to the Bus Driver Roger ( and his wife) that always answers the call. The lunch that was provided was a huge asset for our Group.
” Our bus load of folks tremendously enjoyed the meal at the mess Hall, and they had a ball on the way back home,” said Ritchie. ” They all had an absolute ball even, I think what it comes down to is that they all knew that they did their absolute best.”
It was fitting that the day ended with Carroll County playing against Carroll County. We controlled the narrative and the focus was 1000% about inclusion. It also provided an opportunity for a coaching match-up that rivaled Geno versus Dawn in the just completed Women’s Basketball 🏀 National Championship Game. But no, not really.
It was just one of the most impressive people that I know coaching against a Big Fan of hers. And a kangaroo, you can’t forget the Kangaroo !
Slightly different approach to this story as it will be up to Allen & Vickey if they want to add to it and run with it past it appearing on our site.
Some details about the day will be expanded on if that’s the case. Such as who provided the Sandwiches🥪 and the full name of the Bus 🚌 Driver.
Vickey Ritchie is a Special, Special Lady 👩 that gives at a level that is off the charts. Somewhere she owns a Hulk Statue to prove it !
Thank You Ma’am, for taking a chance by going to Lexington !
A.S.P.N on The Hill 