Hunter Dale spends his Saturdays during the fall competing as a safety for the Washington State football team.

On this winter Saturday, Dale once again experiences the competitive environment firsthand.

But this time it is as a basketball official rather than a football player.

"It's cool to see them have fun but it's really competitive," he said just after officiating a game in the the WSU basketball practice facility.

Soccer's Grace Hancock witnesses the competitiveness, too.

"I am always blown away from the competition that I see and their heart and dedication they put into it," she said after serving as a scorekeeper.

The "they" Hancock refers to are the nearly 300 Special Olympic athletes competing at the Special Olympics Washington East Regional Basketball Tournament.

Dale and Hancock were two of the nearly 200 WSU student-athletes, WSU students and staff, and members of the Pullman community who served as volunteers for the tournament.

Saturday marked the sixth consecutive year Special Olympics Washington partnered with the WSU Student-Athlete Development & Wellbeing and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) to host the tournament at the Washington State University campus.

"We really appreciate the relationship with WSU," said Stephen Opland, Senior Manager for Sports and Competition for Special Olympics Washington. "The great thing that we love, especially coming back for six years running now, is the relationships that are built between the students and the Special Olympic athletes."

It is a relationship that leaves a lasting impression for the student-athletes.

"It's a really humbling experience to help others and use things that you've learned as an athlete to try to help other people," said soccer's Maegan O'Neil. "It makes me really thankful for the opportunities we have here at WSU."

Courtney Randall, Coordinator for Career and Leadership Development, describes the experience for the student-athletes volunteering as "transformative."

"It give our student-athletes the opportunity to interact with athletes they don't often get to interact with in their daily lives," said Randall. "It leaves an meaningful experience for the student-athletes who participate."

The tournament is one many events Randall and the Student-Athlete Development & Wellbeing department earmark as part of its "Passport to Career" initiative, a series of events during spring semester designed to assist student-athletes planning for their careers after WSU.

As part of the series, past football great Jed Collins spoke to student-athletes about the importance of preparing for their financial and professional life earlier in the week.

"We always talk about student-athletes developing a well-rounded profile," Randall explained about the initiative. "It's not just preparing for your career, which is important, but taking steps to better yourself in your personal development. Being involved in the Special Olympics basketball tournament is obviously an aspect of that, getting out in the community, and being impactful and helping others."

On this Saturday, helping the Special Olympic athletes had a profound effect on the student-athletes.

"You watch these athlete put so much time and effort into their craft, it puts your opportunities into perspective," said Hancock.

"It's awesome to see them smiling and having fun," Dale said. "You see these athletes and it's a big eye-opener. You appreciate the things that God has given you and the talents that you have. You don't take it for granted."