Natalie Jarrett, Nikki Blue, AJ Bradley, Lisa Willis and Julia Pitts visited the Team Prime Time after-school program on May 15th to help coach and encourage the athletes and student-coaches of Special Olympics-PRIME TIME. SOPT, a revolutionary partnership between Team Prime Time, the Special Olympics of Southern California and LAUSD, gives at-risk middle school students the opportunity to coach and mentor developmentally disabled students from across Los Angeles.
The Lady Bruins ran basketball drills and participated in games alongside the Team Prime Time Student-coaches and the Special Olympic Athletes, energizing the students with every high-five and generating excitement with each pass. TPT Executive Director Peter Straus was duly impressed by the joy the Lady Bruins brought to the program. "Wow! They brought their "A" game today."" he said, "Their energy and enthusiasm really inspired the kids. UCLA Women's Basketball definitely has a whole new group of fans."
The basketball practice was a final tune-up before SOPT takes center-stage at the Westside Games on May 24th, where the group will play in front of hundreds of fans as the featured event for the Special Olympics Unified Sports Program.
QUOTES FROM THE WOMEN
AJ Bradley, Senior Guard- "I enjoyed watching the kids interact with each other. The Prime Time coaches really understood the concept that everyone was equal out there."
Nikki Blue, freshman Guard- "It was really exciting! The kids were excellent! The atmosphere was so positive! I'm really looking forward to being a part of it again soon."
Natalie Jarret, Senior Forward, who returned with her friends in tow- "The kids really aren't any different out there. They were just kids, having fun and playing together, and that's what's important. I can't tell who had more fun, us or the kids. What made it so special was how much all the kids enjoyed themselves- YOU CAN'T PUT LIMITATIONS ON THAT."