GRAND CAYMAN, CAYMAN ISLANDS – Cayman Islands Classic is proud to announce Cayman National Bank as the title sponsor of the inaugural Cayman Islands Classic Special Olympics Basketball Camp. The event will be rebranded as the Cayman National Bank Special Olympics Basketball Camp.

Thirty-five Special Olympic athletes are expected to participate in the Cayman National Bank Special Olympics Basketball Camp on Saturday, 7 November from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the ARC at Camana Bay. The eight-team Cayman Islands Classic tournament will get underway the following Monday, 19 November at the John Gray Gymnasium.

We are thrilled that Cayman National Bank has chosen the title sponsorship of our inaugural Special Olympics basketball camp,” said Jill Turk, Chief Strategy Officer, Cayman Islands Classic. “They supported our tournament last year and to have them return as the title sponsor to support the Special Olympic athletes is such an honor.”

Ms. Turk added, “As a local bank on the island, they are actively involved in the community by supporting many worthy organizations, including sports. Having a dedicated, premier brand partner like Cayman National Bank come aboard as the title sponsor reflects their commitment to their ongoing community support. We are proud to work with them.”

Christy Whittaker, Executive Assistant and Assistant Marketing Manager Cayman National Bank, states, “We celebrate with the organizers on last year’s tournament success. Not only did it make a huge economic impact on our islands but it also helped stimulate and further develop sports tourism in Cayman. We are once again happy to be a part of such success and are confident this year’s event will have an even bigger impact.”

Mrs. Whittaker added, “Equally, we are proud to be the sponsor of the inaugural Cayman Islands Classic Special Olympics Basketball Camp and we commend the organizers for inviting the Special Olympics Cayman Islands athletes to participate in the tournament activities. We believe this camp will provide the athletes with exciting opportunities for physical fitness and enhancement of their skills as they work alongside skilled and experienced coaches.”

Special Olympics Cayman Islands is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, while Special Olympics International, established in 1968, celebrates 50 years.

“Apart from the obvious positive physical effects of sport to our athletes, these camps also help with increasing their social interactions and the public’s awareness of Special Olympics’ contributions,” said Fareed Hosein, Head Basketball Coach for Special Olympics Cayman Islands. “Thank you to Cayman National Bank for making this camp possible and to Cayman Islands Classic for organizing the camp. We recognize a lot of hard work is done behind the scenes to facilitate a tournament of this magnitude and the Cayman Classic has also taken it upon themselves to add a community element to the event. Thanks to Jill Turk, Joe Wright and Victor O’Garro for providing our athletes with this unique opportunity.”

The inaugural Special Olympics basketball camp will be led by Caymax Sports Ltd., Cayman Islands Classic Founders, CEO Joe Wright and President Victor O’Garro, whom have dedicated their lives to coaching basketball and teaching the youth.

“I am especially grateful to Cayman National Bank for sponsoring such an historic event in the Cayman Islands,” stated President Victor O’Garro. “They are a leader in the Cayman Islands business community when it comes to supporting sports on the island and we are honored to partner with them.”

“I am truly excited to reconnect with my Special Olympic Athletes on a different platform,” added Mr. O’Garro. “I’ve had the privilege of volunteering with Special Olympics Cayman Islands and I’ve had the opportunity to work with Special Olympics Founder, the late Mrs. Eunice Kennedy Shriver. Supporting the Special Olympics is a very rewarding experience. The athletes are a very special group of determined individuals that are empowered by their accomplishments and continue to inspire each other and those that work with them.”

Mr. O’Garro continued, “The inaugural camp will be a lot of fun with an emphasis on learning. We will work with the athletes on refining basketball skills, such as shooting, offensive moves, defense, rebounding, and team play. Additionally, the camp will provide a focus on skill development, fostering teamwork and sportsmanship.”

The Cayman Islands Classic has been established as one of the most challenging Division I Men’s early-season college basketball tournaments. This year’s lineup will feature powerhouse programs including Creighton, Clemson, University of Georgia, St, Bonaventure, Georgia State, Akron University, Illinois State and Boise State.

Akron will face Clemson in the opening game at 12 p.m. Eastern Standard Time Nov. 19 followed by Georgia meeting Illinois State at 2:30 p.m. In the first game of the evening session at 5 p.m. St. Bonaventure plays Georgia State. Boise State and Creighton will conclude opening-day action in the final matchup of the day starting at 7:30 p.m.

Fans can purchase tickets online, starting July 1 at www.caymanislandsclassic.com/ot/tickets.html

Semifinal round games are slated for 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. the following day, Tuesday, Nov. 20. The seventh-place game will open the final day of competition on Wednesday, Nov. 21 starting at 12 p.m., followed by the fifth-place game (2:30 p.m.), third-place game (5 p.m.) and title game (7:30 p.m.) to crown the Cayman Islands Classic champion.

About Cayman National Bank
Established in 1974, Cayman National Group comprises of banking, trust & company management and wealth management. The Cayman National Group of Companies comprises: Cayman National Bank Ltd., Cayman National Fund Services Ltd, Cayman National Securities Ltd, Cayman National Bank (Isle of Man) Limited and Cayman National Trust Company (Isle of Man) Ltd. The Group also has representative offices in Dubai. Cayman National is a public company with its shares being traded on the Cayman Islands Stock Exchange. Cayman National boasts a workforce of over 300 staff with over 97% being Caymanians.

For more information regarding Cayman National Bank Ltd., please contact Christy Whittaker, Executive Assistant and Assistant Marketing Manager Cayman National Bank, at 345-815-5101 or at [email protected]
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About Special Olympics Cayman Islands Since its establishment in 1968, the Special Olympics have grown to become the world’s largest sports organization for persons with intellectual disabilities. Comprised of over 4.9 million athletes, originating through 170 countries and assisted by over 1 million volunteers worldwide, Special Olympics provides continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, and gain new friendships for its athletes. Through the power of sports, people with intellectual disabilities discover new strengths and abilities, skills, success, confidence and fulfillment. Sports as a powerful force can shift the focus from disability to ability, from isolation to involvement. The Cayman Islands Chapter focuses on five core sports, including Athletics, Basketball, Bocce, Football & Swimming, along with other sports such as Stand-up Paddle boarding and Golf. Unified Sport promotes social inclusion through shared sport training and competition experiences for individuals with and without intellectual disabilities. Currently the athletes are preparing for the World Games to be held in Abu Dhabi March 14-21, 2019.

People interested in supporting the Special Olympics, please email Mr. Darrel Rankine at [email protected]. For more information about the Special Olympics Cayman islands, please visit www.specialolympics.org
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About Cayman Islands Classic:
The Cayman Islands Classic is a yearly NCAA preseason men’s division one college basketball tournament. Eight college basketball teams visit Grand Cayman for the three-day event, playing 12 total games. The tournament is sponsored by the Mountain West conference. All 12 games will be streamed live in the domestic and international markets via CBS Digital on College Sports Live, www.collegesportslive.com. For more information about the Cayman Islands Classic, please visit www.caymanislandsclassic.com.