BIG SPRING, TX – March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. On Friday, Mar. 28, 2025, the 21st Darrell E. Smith Hoops, Dreams and Goals will kick off at the Dorothy Garrett Coliseum.
This event is hosted by West Texas Centers, the local intellectual and developmental disability authority (LIDDA) and local mental health authority (LMHA) serving people with behavioral health and intellectual and developmental disabilities in 23 rural West Texas counties.
Hoops, Dreams and Goals will not only feature basketball competitions but also encourage positive sportsmanship and fellowship. With over 1,000 people expected to attend, the energy at the Dorothy Garrett Coliseum will be electric.
Consumers from 43 counties served by West Texas Centers, PermiaCare, MHMR Concho Valley and Betty Hardwick Community Centers, participate in the basketball tournament and compete for various prizes, all while being cheered on by staff, families, parents, and cheerleading and half-time dance teams.
Teams participating in bracket play will be the Abilene Bombers, Ballinger Longhorns, Big Spring Heat, Midland Panthers, Monahans Pecos Warriors, Odessa Tigers, San Angelo Bobcats, Seminole Pink Panthers, Snyder Wildcats, and the Sweetwater Red Rattlers. Team members will be accompanied by coaches, cheerleaders, pep squads, and friends and family, totaling more than 1,000 people.
The athletes grand entrance will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a parade down the ramp of the Dorothy Garrett Coliseum, led by the Forsan and Big Spring drumlines. Opening ceremonies start at 8:50 a.m. with introductions by West Texas Centers CEO Rodney Jones and a welcome from Big Spring Mayor Robert Moore. Robert Hilger will perform the National Anthem.
Teams will be introduced at 9 a.m. The trophy presentation and closing ceremonies are scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
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