“Let’s go Riders! D, D, D!” Bethany knows basketball. Over the years, she’s cheered through more games than I can count with Caleb and Grace both playing. She’s known by the THESA (Texas Home Educators Sports Association) families as the number-one-Rider-fan.
A few years ago at the national basketball tournament, the top-ranked girls’ team surprised Bethany with a specially decorated Rider t-shirt before the big game. They wanted to show appreciation for their most enthusiastic fan. She still wears the black and red treasure to most games.
Yesterday, we walked into another basketball gym. This day was different, though.
The players struggled to dribble, pass, and shoot. A few times they seemed confused about which basket to dribble toward. But they smiled.
Players celebrated plays with high fives. They cheered for each other and themselves.
Bethany was on the court playing in the state Special Olympics basketball game.
And sitting in the stands were Rider players and their families. They got up early on a Saturday morning to cheer for their number-one Special Olympics player.
