“I always wanted to find things for him to do. Even when he was in school, he wanted to play basketball, he just never got chosen. I’m just excited for him to be a part of this team.”
Barbara Bynum is a proud Special Olympics Pitt County mom. This year, her son Dearius Bynum was chosen, in the best sense of the word. The Special Olympics Pitt County basketball team will compete at the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games in Orlando, Florida. June 5-12, Dearius and his team will represent the North Carolina delegation as part of Team Special Olympics North Carolina (SONC).
“I always liked basketball,” said Dearius. “I like to watch it and play it. My favorite team in college is the Louisville Cardinals and my favorite team in the NBA is the Miami Heat.”
In 2014, Dearius began training in basketball with Special Olympics. Led by head coach Raymond Henderson and coach Brent Harpe, Dearius has learned what it means to compete and what it means to be chosen. Embarking on an opportunity of a lifetime, Dearius and his team have spent six months preparing for this week.
“Dearius is our player coach on the court by leading his teammates, modeling and pushing them along the way,” said Henderson. “Dearius is all about winning and has shown leadership skills with this team throughout the years.”
The dynamic of the team is one that fosters sportsmanship and, above all, friendship. On the court, they work hard. To be successful as a team, they have worked to bond with each other, establishing a network of trust, a necessity on the field of play.
“We’re good friends,” said Dearius. “I do talk to one of them a lot, Adam. The rest of the guys, they’re real nice. Ever since I joined the team, me and him caught a connection to be good friends.”
Outside of practice, they have regular phone conversations to stay in touch. Dearius has a busy schedule in addition to basketball, playing drums, singing in the choir at church and taking guitar lessons. In the mornings, Dearius works his shift as a janitor at the Pitt County Courthouse. In the afternoons, he is enrolled in a literacy program at Pitt Community College.
“I like it because it’s helping me improve on my reading a little bit,” said Dearius.
Dearius is set to graduate from the program this June; however, he will be missing the graduation ceremony to pursue a gold medal in Florida.
“The main thing I am excited about is going on an airplane, I’ve never been on one,” said Dearius. “And playing and trying to bring home a gold medal to Greenville.”
In the stands, Dearius’ mother and aunt will be cheering him on, looking forward to watching his leadership in action.
“Dearius is a great competitor and wants to win more than anything else,” said Harpe. “He leads by example on and off the court. He is a great basketball player, even better person.”
They have been chosen to play. Now, they have to earn the win.
