By MDA Staff Writer | September 23, 2026
MISSISSIPPI DELTA — A unified basketball team organized through the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Delta and Special Olympics Mississippi has returned from the Special Olympics USA Games with a silver medal.
Team Mississippi finished second in its division during the national competition in Minnesota. The roster brought together Boys & Girls Clubs members and Special Olympics athletes, placing players with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team.
The Delta organization reported that Team Mississippi struggled during its early games before improving its communication and teamwork. The athletes recovered from those losses and advanced to a second-place finish.
The unified program grew from a partnership established in 2017 between Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Delta and Special Olympics Mississippi. It uses basketball to promote inclusion while giving participants opportunities to develop athletic, social and leadership skills.
Team members traveled from Greenwood to Memphis before flying to Minnesota. For some participants, the tournament represented their longest trip away from home.
The silver-medal finish adds a national accomplishment to a program serving young people from Greenwood, Lexington and other Delta communities. Organizers plan to continue developing the partnership and connecting more athletes through inclusive competition.
Photo courtesy of: The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Delta
Source: Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Delta’s competition report