LUCAS COUNTY – The Special Olympics-Lucas County basketball team joined UToledo’s Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity to compete in their state championship against Iowa in the NIRSA Championship Series last month, becoming the national champions of the Unified Division. And for one of their coaches, it was a bittersweet moment.
Sylvania native Coach Cole Schuette is one of three volunteer assistant coaches for the basketball team. He’s been with the Lucas County Lightning for four seasons and is the coordinator for setting up the team’s schedule and practices. But his primary role is skill development.
A year ago, as the state semifinals approached, Schuette was informed that his father-in-law and 12-year-old sister-in-law were involved in a car accident. Tragically, his sister-in-law, Jessica, passed away from her injuries.
The accident was really hard on everyone, and it was causing some distractions to the team. They won their semifinal game, but came up short in the state championship against Cuyahoga County at Ohio State University. Everyone on the team was emotional, both from the accident and how their season ended. However, the loss brought them closer together.
Schuette’s family produced shirts that said “Jessica Strong,” and were handed out to the players and coaches.
“Those shirts weren’t just rallying them together; those were their Jessica shirts, and they were doing it for her,” Schuette said. “It inspired the team in a way you can’t manufacture.”
During the off season, after the 2024 state final, the team had the determination and drive to be their absolute best. Schuette said he always knew the team had good people, but he was touched at just how strong their bond was.
Team member Thomas Laube spoke about what Schuette means to him. “He is a friend off the court and he is genuinely a great person.”
Schuette means a great deal to the team, just as they mean a lot to him. “I’m fortunate to be surrounded by such a supportive community,” Schuette said.
Schuette said he makes an effort to form relationships with both the players and his fellow coaches. His role of being focused on the players to develop their skills also developed friendships between them. He said they love to make jokes with each other, and even enjoy watching the March Madness tournament together.
“I believe everyone on the team has built a strong relationship with him,” Laube said.
