Glenbrook South senior Jimmy Martinelli said the best part of partnering with Glenbrook United is that the team reminds him of why he started playing basketball.
In its sixth season, Glenbrook United is made of up special needs students from both Glenbrook South and Glenbrook North, with the majority of the players from Glenbrook South. There are 11 players on the boys team and nine players on the girls team.
This is the third season Martinelli, a 6-foot-6 forward, has worked with Glenbrook United, which competes under the Special Olympics umbrella. He said he can’t help but have fun when he’s around the players.
“You see right away how much they love playing basketball,” he said. “It grounds you. The season is long, and it can be a grind. But you have to remember why you play the sport. These players bring me back to that.”
So far this season, the Titans have participated in one Glenbrook United boys practice and cheered on the team its area playoff games on Sunday, Jan. 17, at Hersey. Glenbrook United won both of its games to qualify for the state tournament, which is scheduled for Friday, March 11-Sunday, March 13. The games will be played at either Illinois State or Illinois Wesleyan, depending on court availability.
At the January practice, Martinelli and the Titans helped Glenbrook United mostly with the fundamentals of the game, including dribbling, passing and rebounding. Glenbrook South’s players spent more than 15 minutes teaching Glenbrook United the pick-and-roll play. A week later, Glenbrook United executed it perfectly during its playoff games.
“It was so awesome to see them do it and see them score on it,” Martinelli said. “I was blown away by how good they are.”
Pa’al Joshi, Glenbrook United’s program coordinator, said the support from the Titans has been invaluable to his student-athletes. Glenbrook United returned the favor and cheered on the Titans during their 76-52 win over Prosser on Saturday, Jan. 23, in Glenview.
“The Glenbrook South players are like heroes to them,” Joshi said. “They not only help with our skill development, but they teach our players how to be teammates. The socialization is really important. Despite their differences, they have this one shared interest. It’s been amazing.”
Ever since that one Saturday practice, Joshi said Glenbrook United has played more like a team. He said they talk non-stop while on defense and are more alert overall.
“It was perfect for us,” Joshi said. “It was a great learning experience for our players. They made us better.”
Glenbrook South coach Ben Widner said the relationship has been a two-way street, and his players receive as much from the Glenbrook United players as they give.
“It’s a great partnership,” said Widner, whose team is 9-14 overall and 1-8 in the Central Suburban South. “They teach us sportsmanship, how to play hard. They play the game with such joy, and that’s good for us to see. Being with [Glenbrook United], you remember why you play the game.”
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Matt Harness co-hosts a golf podcast called Teeing Off. Find it on Twitter (@Teeing__Off) or at www.facebook.com/teeingoffpodcast and on iTunes.
Twitter: @harnesspreps