Swooshing a basketball through the hoop is a challenge for Jacob Simmons.

The feat, however, is not impossible, especially with the help of friend and classmate Brent Lloyd.

Simmons, a third-grader at Central Elementary, is autistic, but that doesn't stop him from playing sports, making friends and having an all-around good time.

He is among nearly 650 athletes from more than 20 Montana communities participating in the Special Olympics Montana State Basketball Tournament today and Saturday in Helena.

Two teams from Helena are participating: an elementary-age team and a high school team.

Michael Alberts coaches the elementary team, which calls itself the Helena Youth Superstars.

Alberts, affectionately known as "Coach Mike," spends his days teaching adaptive physical education to students with special needs in nine Helena elementary schools. Coaching, he said, is an added bonus to his career.

"Being a coach is a great opportunity to get involved in the community and be involved with kids that sometimes don't have a male figure or a mom or dad that is into sports," Alberts, 24, said. "It (Special Olympics) provides an opportunity that they can go out and have fun and participate in sports."

The basketball games don't look like those seen at a local high school or college. Special Olympians work with helpers to navigate the court and complete shots. Although score is kept, the rules are more lenient on such things as double-dribbling and traveling, Alberts said. The courts can be smaller and the hoops shorter, so players have more success during the game, he added.

Lloyd, a Central School third-grader, is participating this year as a partner. He takes credit for teaching Simmons how to dribble. Lloyd is a sports fan and eager to participate in the tourney, noting that it's all about having fun.

Lloyd doesn't worry about points because, he said, there is no need to brag.

"You are just there to have fun and play the game," he said, adding that he enjoys working with students with special needs.

"Everybody should have a friend, and nothing should be between that," Lloyd said.

This is the first year Helena has had an elementary team since Special Olympics left the school curriculum in physical education classes a number of years ago, said Susan Gunn, a special-needs teacher at Central Elementary.

For the third and final year in the city rotation of Special Olympics, the Helena School District has allowed the use of its buildings.

Marvin Williams, special education administrator, said having the games in the buildings is a benefit to the schools as well as the students and general public because they can watch the games.

There is value to the athletes as well, Williams said, because the athletes get good exposure from a larger audience.

"This way they have peers in the stands to watch them and cheer," Williams said.

And for the first time, Helena schools have an "adopt-a-team" program.

Jefferson Elementary students in Valerie Managhan's third-grade class and Molly Schmidt's kindergarten class have adopted the Helena teams.

Earlier this week they made posters and assembled goodie bags with water and snacks for each of the players -- which they will deliver when they attend the games on Friday.

Kyler Maharg, a third-grader at Jefferson Elementary, thought the snacks were a good idea so the participants would have something to eat and drink while they played in the games.

"The water is important so they don't get dehydrated," chimed in fellow third-grader Claire Brosten.

Jefferson Principal Lona Carter-Scanlon jumped at the opportunity to expose to students to Special Olympics because it fostered an opportunity for the staff to reinforce acceptance of all people.

"We have special-needs students in our building and are always working around diversity (curriculum) and accepting people for who they are," Carter-Scanlon said.

Third-grader Lindsay Burkett said she knows what it feels like to be treated badly because she was different.

It didn't feel good, she said, and she wouldn't want anyone to feel like that.

"You need to help other people out even if they are different," Burkett said.

Reporter Alana Listoe: 447-4081 or alana.listoe@helenair.com