Wildey Comet Emily Bishop, defended by Sheriff A.J. “Tim” Rodenberg, attempts to make a two-pointer.

Wildey Comet Emily Bishop, defended by Sheriff A.J. “Tim” Rodenberg, attempts to make a two-pointer.
The final score was Wildey Comets 30, Sheriff’s Deputies 29, but everyone was a winner when the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office played a game of basketball against the Wildey School Comets.

The annual contest is a celebration of both Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month and March Madness.

“We’ve been playing every year pretty much since I’ve been sheriff,” Sheriff A.J. “Tim” Rodenberg said. “We enjoy doing this and it’s obvious how much the kids enjoy playing.”

The Comets team is comprised of students with developmental disabilities from districts across Clermont County who attend the Wildey School.

The deputies use adaptive equipment when they play. Knee braces, arm slings, slippery gloves, and wheelchairs level the playing field and to demonstrate how difficult it is for some of the students to play.

“The deputies volunteer their time each year,” Lisa Davis, Director of Community Relations said. “Most work a 12-hour shift and then head to Wildey to play this game. Their dedication to the Wildey students is greatly appreciated.”

The audience was treated to a half-time performance by the Wildey Comets cheerleaders, who, with their personal assistants, performed a routine to a song from “Glee.”