Kentucky will be represented in the Basketball competition at the National Games by a team made up of players from Bowling Green and Owensboro. It is largely the same colection of players that recovered from an 0-3 start to win the Gold Medal in their division at the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai, China.

Coaches

	Head Coach Jen Siebold is the lone returning coach from that 2007 World Games Gold Medal team, on which she was an assistant. She has been coaching Special Olympics athletes for 8 years. Siebold, who is the Assistant Director of the Russelville Parks and Recreation Department, also coaches softball in the Bolwing Green Special Olympics program. IN addition to Special Olympics coaching, she has also coached youth soccer and Tee-ball. She resides in Goodlettsville, TN.
	Assistant Coach Jeff Johnson of Owensboro has been coaching Special Olympics athletes for 16 years. In addition to basketball, he also coaches Special Olympics softball and track and field and is the Head Fotball Coach for Owensboro Middle School. This is Johnson's second trip to the Special Olympics USA National Games. In 2006 he led a Team Kentucky men's basketball team to a 4-1 record and a Silver Medal in Ames, Iowa.

 

Athletes

	Marcie Blandford was one of the two Owensboro players named to the Gold Medal-winning 2007 World Games team. She has been a special Olympics athlete for six years. In addition to basketball, Blandford, 20 also competes in track and field and softball. She has also competed in cheerleading. She works at Wendella's Canine Cafe and Spa.
	Shiela Crowson of Bowling Green was also a member of the 2007 World Games team. She has been a Special Olympics athlete for eight years competing in bowling and softball as well as basketball. Crowson, 33, works at Target.
	Becca Fugate of Bowling Green is a relative newcomer to this team and to Special Olympics. Her first Special Olympics competition came in the 2009 basketball season. She has also competed in track and field. Fugate, 36, will be competing in her first National or World Games event.
	Jennifer Hamilton of Utica joined Blandford as one of two Owensboro area residents on the team that won the Gold Medal at the 2007 World Games in China. She has been a Special Olympics athlete for 10 years competing in basketball, softball, bowling and track and field. The 2007 Games were Hamilton's second trip to a World Games event. She played softball in the 1999 World Summer Games in North Carolina. Hamilton, 28, works for Owensboro Mental Health Systems.
	Kelly King of Oakland was also a part of that 2007 World Games Gold Medal-winning team. That was also the second World Games appearance for King, as well as her second World Games Gold Medal. She won her division of the singles bowling competition at the 2003 World Summer Games in Dublin, Ireland. King, 29, has been a Special Olympics athlete for 21 years, competing in softball and track and field in addition to basketball and bowling. She works at her parent's grocery store -- Three Forks Grocery -- in Oakland.
	Crystal Snodgrass of Bowling Green is the only member of the team competing in their second USA National Games. Snodgrass competed in track and field at the 2006 Games in Ames, Iowa, earning a Silver Medal in the 4x100 Relay and a fourth place ribbon in the 100-meter dash. She also won the Team Kentucky Team Spirit Award at those Games awarded by the coaching staff near the end of the Games. Snodgrass also played on the Gold Medal-winning team in China. A Special Olympics athlete for six years, Snodgrass also competes in softball and bowling.
	Taylor Thopmpson of Franklin has been involved in Special Olympics for six years, competing in basketball and softball. A student at Franklin-Simpson High School, she was the youngest member of the 2007 World Games Gold Medal team. Thompson works at Wendy's restaurant.
	Wendy White of Owensboro is another newcomer to this team. She has been active in Special Olympics for 11 years, competing in basketball, bowling, softball and track and field. White, 35, works for Kroger and will be amking her first appearance in a major Special Olympics competition.
	Mary Ann Wilcome of Bowling Green also returns from the 2007 World Games team. She has been involved in Special Olympics for 18 years, competing i n basketball andsoftball. Wilcome is 33.

Meet the Team!
Aquatics
Athletics
Bowling
Golf
Gymnastics
Softball
AS Coaches