Mavericks go undefeated in Gatlinburg
Claim gold at Special Olympics
Members of the Anderson County Mavericks 3x3 co-ed basketball team won gold at the 2025 Special Olympics Winter Games. Pictured are (from left): Jordan Barnes, Connor Northern, Chloe Holland, Rylie Harvey and Ben Daugherty.
Coached by Andy Alpers, the team went 5-0 in the traditional tournament at the Rocky Top Sports Complex to secure the championship.
“You have two types of teams, Unified and traditional,” Alpers said. “We played in the traditional tournament.”
Unified teams consist of both special-needs and able-bodied athletes, while traditional teams are made up solely of special-needs athletes.
Competing in the Winter Games for the third time, Anderson County reached its ultimate goal after steady improvement in previous years.
“The first time we played there, we didn’t win many games,” Alpers said. “The next year, we won a few, and this year, we won the gold.”
Winning gold was the team’s clear objective.
“One of my kids told me on the way up there that he told his parents he was coming home with the gold,” Alpers said. “We have one senior on the team, and he’s been with us for all three years.
“One of my guys told me he wanted to win it for him. These kids are in high school, and sometimes they want to act cool, but other times, you see some real emotion.”
Despite winning the 2025 tournament, Alpers emphasized that fun remains a priority.
“At the end of the day, it’s all about having fun,” he said. “But hey, it’s sports, and you have a lot more fun when you’re winning.”
The team’s roster included Jordan Barnes, Ben Daugherty, Chloe Holland, Rylie Harvey, and Connor Northern.
Barnes, the team’s lone senior, capped off his high school career with a gold medal.
