Pool tournament to benefit the Special Olympics

ZANESVILLE, Ohio- A day long billiards tournament took over Prophets Park today to raise money for a special cause.

Pool players from across Ohio and some neighboring states turned out this morning to play in the Y-City Challenge Pool Tournament. It’s an eight ball, double elimination, singles tournament set to last the whole day. Each player pays a $25 entry fee and $1 per game. Event organizer Tim Snelling said all of the proceeds from the day benefits the Special Olympics.

“Mike Hayes was a basketball coach and he needed some money to go put the kids into a motel, the basketball team, for a night so they’d be ready for the next day,” said Snelling. “And the Starlight did not have enough money. So I handed him some money and I said, ‘That will never happen again.’ And I started the tournament.”

Today 89 players participated in the tournament. Two athletes from the Starlight Program who compete in the Special Olympics were in attendance for the fun. The Special Olympics Coordinator said the money they receive from the benefit helps to keep the costs low for the athletes and coaches.

“I’ve seen it expand over the years. You know you start out and you have hardly any support and then over the 20 years I’ve been involved, as a parent or as a volunteer or as a coordinator it has progressed so much that you just see the smiles on everybody’s faces to know that they have somebody behind them,” said Sandy Drenten the Muskingum County Special Olympics Coordinator.

Last year the tournament raised $1800 dollars. Snelling said this event wouldn’t be possible without the help of local businesses who sponsored the tables.