Are you looking to have FUN while getting exercise? Do you want to play basketball, softball, or compete in track and field? Special Olympics – LaSalle, through it’s LaSalle Spirit Sports Club provides athletic opportunities for persons with intellectual disabilities between the ages of eight to eighty.  Its ultimate goal is to bring athletes together for FUN, friendship, and competition, but there are certainly some athletes who are not competitive that simply come out for the exercise and socialization.  In most cases, athletes try to improve on their own personal goals, but in doing so, engage in friendly competition with other athletes. In October of 2003, the LaSalle Spirit Sports Club was started by a group of LaSalle Police Service officers who wanted to give back to their community.  It was the vision of these officers to provide a program where boys and girls, men and women, could come out for a couple hours and get some exercise, at little or no cost.  The first year consisted of track and field type activities, but the following year basketball was added to the program.  As the club grew, and fundraising took place, athletes were entered in track meets and basketball tournaments, still at no cost to the athletes and coaches. In the summer of 2006, three LaSalle Spirit trained athletes competed at the Special Olympics Canadian Summer Games in Brandon, Manitoba . Basketball-related activities highlight the practices starting in October of each year.  The athletes strive to become members of teams that will compete in the regional competitions in the spring of the following year.  Some athletes have had the opportunity to move on to provincial competitions.  In April of each year, the LaSalle Spirit Sports Club starts to shift their focus to athletics, where they will prepare for regional and invitational track and field meets from May through July. Softball was added to the club’s programming in 2007, and in August of 2008, the LaSalle Spirit softball team competed at its first Region 1 Provincial Games qualifier. The athletes hope to have qualified to compete at the 2009 Provincial Summer Games being held in Windsor from July 23 through 25th. Activities our athletes have been involved in have included: Track and field meets at invitational, regional, provincial, and national levels. Basketball tournaments at invitational, provincial, and social levels. Softball games at social and competitive levels Local Law Enforcement Torch Run events Entered in the LaSalle Santa Claus Parade Involved in Special Olympic fundraising at STAPLES Business Depot Involved in Special Olympic fundraising at local Subway Restaurants Sold pucks at the NHL Legends hockey games for Special Olympics End of the season awards party where everyone is a winner!