Submitted by Bright Fire Department

Bright firefighters participated in a scrimmage basketball game against athletes with Ripley Ohio Dearborn Special Olympics. submitted

(Bright, Ind.) - Wednesday night the Bright Fire Department played a scrimmage basketball game against the Ripley Ohio Dearborn Hot Rods, a team of Special Olympics athletes from South East Indiana.

Josh Snapp, an EMT with Bright is also the head coach of the Hot Rods

“I’ve coached this team for 5 years. We played the fire department so we could play a higher level of competition to prepare for the sectional and state tournament” said Snapp.

Josh and assistant coach Tim O’Toole are preparing the Hot Rods for a Sectional Tournament at Shelbyville High School, March 16^th. “This game meant a lot to our team on a lot of different levels” Josh remarked. He and firefighter Tom Stevens Jr. who had originally came up with the idea of the scrimmage, started pulling their resources together to make it happen.

“The players loved the interaction they received from the crowd and the chance to play with the firemen. All of the post-game feedback was very positive not only from the team but from the parents as well. They’ve all asked us to try and do this again” Snapp exclaimed.

If the Hot Rods can advance through the Sectional Tournament they will advance to the State Tournament at the Hulman Center on the campus of Indiana State University in Terre Haute.