Team Whidbey and South Whidbey Wind, the island’s two Special Olympics teams, won bronze and silver respectively at a regional basketball competition held on Feb. 8 in Marysville.

Though they did not qualify to compete at the state tournament in Wenatchee this March, the athletes returned home knowing they have sharpened their skills and had lots of fun, coaches Shari Mays and Mike Etzell said.

“The medal is the least of the things that I want them to focus on,” said Mays, who has been coaching Team Whidbey for over 20 years, since her son Jason, who has cerebral palsy, joined as an athlete. Etzell has been coaching the South Whidbey Wind athletes for almost two decades.

A few weeks before the final match, Team Whidbey participated in another game in Marysville. It wasn’t until the drive back home that Mays and the team realized they had no idea of where they placed, the coach recalled.

At the end of the day, Special Olympics aren’t about winning, but about fun, friendship, inclusion and pushing it to the limits.

Both programs accept community members ages 8 and older who have an intellectual disability. These disabilities exist on a wide spectrum that encompasses people with varying support needs, with conditions including Down syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (or ADHD), autism, Williams syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome and more, according to the Special Olympics’ website.

The basketball teams play at the “team skills” level, which is designed for athletes who can’t play traditional basketball.

In team skills, Mays and Etzell explained, the two competing teams group on opposite sides of the court. Rather than running around to snatch the ball from their opponents’ hands, the teams play individually and at the same time, with the athletes taking turns to pass, catch and shoot the ball. The teams earn points based on how well the athletes collaborated and performed each task.

Last year, both Whidbey teams qualified for the state competition, with Team Whidbey placing fourth and South Whidbey Wind winning silver medals, which the athletes proudly wore while holding the jersey of the late Mark Welch, a former teammate and a beloved friend.

The highlight of the state tournament, however, was getting to spend the weekend at a hotel and grooving at the Saturday night dance, Etzell said.

For many people with disabilities, Special Olympics offer a space where they can come out of their shells and connect with other people. Not only do they find out that they fit in the team, Etzell said, but they also learn they fit right into the community.

“Just by being a part of a healthy, fun loving group, they find out more about themselves and what they’re capable of,” Etzell said.

Chris Becker, the Team Whidbey program coordinator with 30 years of coaching experience, said sports give the athletes a sense of pride about who they are, providing a healthy and joyful alternative to spending their free time on the couch, watching the television.

Longtime Team Whidbey athletes Dawnika Wiks and Dagny Schellenberg said their favorite aspect of participating in Special Olympics is spending time with their friends and coaches and meeting new people.

Schellenberg spoke passionately about her coaches and teammates, and cheered for her peers during a practice session on Jan. 27.

Mays finds the energy her athletes radiate warms her heart. Whenever an athlete is not having a good day, their teammates give them words of encouragement, focusing on what the athlete did right rather than on what they could not accomplish.

“They encourage each other like I’ve never seen in sports before,” she said.

Tamra Oborn, whose son is also a Special Olympics athlete, said the program connects families with similar experiences, building community and gathering for birthdays and dinner parties. Furthermore, she said, it can be an opportunity for individuals who are typically not around people with disabilities to learn more about them.

As the basketball season — which began in the fall — just wrapped up, Team Whidbey looks forward to practicing swimming, bocce ball, cycling, bowling and track and field, which will be offered in the spring and later in the year, Mays said.

In swim, athletes can swim laps or, if they can’t swim, walk in the water, Mays said.

Both Mays and Etzell believe there are many people on the island who are unaware of the Special Olympics programs and that could either join the teams or volunteer as coaches. While the programs could offer basketball training at a higher level, they said said there aren’t enough athletes with the right skill level to form another team.

The Team Whidbey basketball team — which meets every week at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Oak Harbor — comprises eight athletes, while bowling sees the participation of 40 or more people, Mays said. South Whidbey Wind, which offers only basketball, includes seven players.

At its peak, South Whidbey Wind counted 15 athletes, Etzell said. The team was founded 20 years ago by Dave Jones. The team plays at Trinity Lutheran Church in Freeland, but when that space isn’t available, the South Whidbey School District offers its own.

As volunteers age out or move away, both teams are looking for coaches. Volunteers don’t need to have any coaching experience, Mays said. Sometimes, the job simply consists of keeping an eye on athletes and making sure they are doing the task they are supposed to be doing and not conflicting with each other. With 15 swimmers in the water, Mays said she would appreciate a few extra eyes to help with supervision.

People interested in joining South Whidbey Wind as a volunteer or athlete can reach out to Coach Mike Etzell at 360-499-5401, while Team Whidbey can be reached at wispecialolympics@gmail.com.

Correction: The original version of this story inaccurately stated Mark Welch’s name was “Mike.” We regret the error.

(Photo by Luisa Loi) Coach Shari Mays assists her son Jason Mays before he shoots the ball. Her other son, Matthew Mays, also volunteers as a coach.

(Photo by Luisa Loi) Coach Shari Mays gives Lydia Vaughan some words of encouragement before she throws the ball.

(Photo by Luisa Loi) At right, Coach Shari Mays and Assistant Coach Kathy Nord watch in awe as Lance Maly sinks a basket. According to Mays, the athletes tend to do even better at torunaments.

(Photo by Luisa Loi) At right, Dagny Schellenberg roots for teammate Michael Murcrey. Coach Shari Mays said she has never met a more supportive team.

(Photo by Luisa Loi) Emily Nord prepares to shoot. She is also active in bowling, swimming and bocce ball.

(Photo by Luisa Loi) Christopher Strader dribbles the ball before shooting.

(Photo by Luisa Loi) Michael Murcrey focuses on the target before shooting as Dawnica Wiks waits for her turn. The Oak Harbor resident has been a part of the program for a while, practicing basketball and bowling, which he likes equally. To him, it’s a fun challenge.

(Photo provided) South Whidbey Wind’s basketball team placed second at the regional competition in Marysville on Feb. 8. At left, a firefighter who handed out medals poses with Assistant Coach Rocky Hawkins, Michael Hawkins, Ryan Hagar, Mira Mostafavinassab, Greg Bailey, Conner Weaver, Nicky Whitehouse, Leo Black and Coach Mike Etzell.