When was the last time you went to a sporting event where over 200 students came out to cheer on both teams? When was the last time you saw athletes who didn’t care about the score but were just grateful for the opportunity to play? When was the last time you saw an educator with 30 years of experience say that it was the best event they had ever witnessed? At Hermiston High School, we all saw this come to life this winter when we started our Unified Basketball team.

Unified Basketball is part of Special Olympics and works to create an inclusive opportunity for students with intellectual and physical disabilities. The focus of Unified Basketball is to have a fun and rewarding experience, while providing students an opportunity to participate in a high school sport. The teams are formed of three differently-abled student athletes with two player helpers, which are subbed on and off the court at five minute intervals. There is a running clock, which provides non-stop action on the court.

After being inspired at our October LEAP meeting, I spoke with our school’s Athletic Director, Larry Usher, to see what opportunities there were to connect with others through sports. He knew I volunteered with our special needs students and told me that our school was beginning a Unified Basketball team and asked if I would like to help coach. I eagerly accepted. I immediately started recruiting athletes, both with and without disabilities. I encouraged our special needs students too, I also recruited our varsity athletes to volunteer as player helpers. After a month of practice, it was time for our first game. Emotions were running high, and we had no idea how our athletes would respond to hundreds of people yelling and cheering them on. Our ASB and school administration had been actively encouraging students to pack the student section, and teachers to pack the stands, even petitioning coaches to start practices after the game so that athletes could support our Unified team.

Fitted out with brand-new Nike uniforms, our Unified athletes lined up for introductions. With a roaring crowd, they ran through a tunnel of cheerleaders to the adoring students. The best part? Our crowd cheered just as hard for the other team, with athletes from each team beaming from ear to ear. The game was action-packed, with both teams feeding off the energy of the cheering crowd full of families, students, teachers, and community members. After a very close game, our Hermiston team lost by two points, but it didn’t seem to matter to anyone. Even though we had lost, every person in the audience walked out with a smile on their face and a full, happy heart. Our athletes were ecstatic and just wanted to have another game.

Unified Basketball season was one of the high points of my high school career. On game days, when our athletes walked through the halls wearing their brand-new Nike sweatsuits, every student sincerely wished them good luck. For away games, our team was able to ride on the decked-out Hermiston “Rooter Bus.” For our final game, our main gym was packed full of community members who had heard about the amazing experience of attending a Unified Basketball game. Before the game, each player was given fresh flowers courtesy of the Hermiston FFA. While holding the flowers, both teams went in front of the student section to take a picture, which is now displayed on the windows of the main office.

Everyone who was able to attend one of our games can tell you how incredible the experience was. Our 14 athletes can tell you how impactful it was in their lives. The best part? They all made new friends and got to experience the rush of taking the court like our other varsity teams experience. Our special education teachers can tell you about the positive impact this program had on performance in class. The entire coaching staff and I can tell you how rewarding it is to coach athletes who are so excited for the opportunity to play basketball. The only downside to having a Unified Basketball team is that no sporting experience will probably ever top it.

I implore each of you to develop a Unified Basketball team in your school or community and give these differently-abled athletes the opportunity to have a quintessential high school experience. You just might find that this life-changing experience affects school spirit, the community, and you every bit as much as it does the Unified athletes.

High school is an exciting time filled with new challenges, opportunities, and growth. For student-athletes, finding the right balance between sports, academics, and personal life can feel overwhelming at times, but it’s also essential for success. Getting that balance right not only helps students excel academically and athletically but also supports mental well-being and personal growth.

Student-athletes often have jam-packed days with early morning practices, after-school games, late-night homework, and constant juggling of commitments. While succeeding in both sports and school can feel rewarding, it can also lead to stress and burnout if balance isn’t maintained. This is where time management becomes key. Knowing how to manage your schedule effectively can help ensure schoolwork gets done on time, while still leaving room for rest, social time, and family moments.

The Power of Mental Breaks
In all the hustle, it’s easy to forget how important it is to take mental breaks. Just like your body needs rest after a tough workout, your mind needs time to relax too. Taking regular breaks throughout the day is essential for staying sharp, reducing stress, and keeping a healthy perspective. Whether it’s stepping outside for a few minutes, listening to your favorite music, or hanging out with friends, these breaks help you recharge, refresh, and come back ready to tackle your next task.

In addition to academics and sports, looking after your personal well-being is super important. Making time for self-care—like getting enough sleep, eating well, or simply relaxing—helps lower stress and prevents burnout. Plus, stepping away from sports and school once in a while can give you the mental reset you need to perform your best both in the classroom and on the field.

Being involved in sports teaches valuable lessons, such as discipline, teamwork, and resilience. But these lessons only work if they’re balanced with schoolwork and life outside of sports. Setting realistic goals, staying positive, and staying organized are all ways to manage both school and sports successfully. Plus, having support from teachers, coaches, and teammates is crucial. When athletes are encouraged to focus on their mental and emotional health, they’re more likely to succeed across the board.

At the end of the day, learning to balance life, sports, and school gives students an important life lesson: it’s not about being perfect in just one area, but about thriving in
multiple parts of life while still maintaining happiness and well-being. By finding that balance, student-athletes can reach their potential in both sports and academics—and set themselves up for success in the future, equipped with the skills they’ll need to handle the demands of adulthood.

The Stanwood Spartan girl’s swim team can be defined as excellent. They have created a family and culture, they have the perseverance and determination to make it far, and they are passionate about what they do.

Overcoming Challenges
From the outside, it looks like the Stanwood girl’s swim team is super successful. They are undefeated this year for the first time in Stanwood swim history. One thing people don’t look at is how much success they have, not just statistically. The Stanwood girl’s swim team is constantly making goals everyday and they are reaching them, they are pushing themselves and their teammates to be better, making more goals to work towards. Senior Sarah Zastoupil explains that, “over the summer, [she] had a goal of reaching a time of 500 and leading lane six during the high school season”. She put in the work all summer and achieved that goal. When asking coach Rita Peterson about challenges, she reveals that “the main challenges high school athletes have to face is balancing school, family, and sometimes work”. Balance is a challenge for anyone, and that is one thing the Stanwood girl’s swim team is amazing at overcoming. Senior Faith Dilworth adds that one thing athletes have to face is “time management, as well as mental stress”. She understands the challenges and she, as well as the rest of the team, has overcome time management and handles stress very well.

Memories
The Stanwood girl’s swim team has made some amazing memories over their excellent season. Freshman Anna Paul’s favorite memory is their “team sleepover”. It made them grow closer and it was a really fun night. Faith Dilworth’s favorite memory was their “high stakes meet against Glacier Peak”. Coach Peterson agrees with that as that is also her favorite memory. She said that something special about this was, finding out that they had “beat Glacier Peak, who had won 40 meets in a row, and knowing that [they] had broken that winning streak”. That memory had proven to themselves that they were capable of more than they thought. They realized how good they really were and how far they could really make it. Two years ago they lost to Glacier Peak by 120 points and this year they beat them 88-82. The depth of their team has helped them so much and it is exciting for the Stanwood community to see a growing program.

Family and Culture
The Stanwood girl’s swim team has built an absolutely amazing program. After watching just 10 minutes of a practice or meet, you can see the culture they have created. After talking with their team they also feel the strong culture of their team. In almost every question asked, culture and chemistry is brought up. Senior Faith Dilworth says, “we all support each other really well” and “we have a really good community and the coaches always help you reach your goals”. Senior Sarah Zastoupil says, “my teammates are the ones helping me beat my goals”, adding on that “one time they even helped me swim two more laps after I thought I couldn’t keep going”. Freshman Anna Paul says that her favorite part of practice is just being in a lane with such amazing girls. She says that, “they are a good group of people and they help you to keep going”. Coach Peterson says, “they have many diverse personalities”. They have 40 girls on the team and she says “they work together and support each other”. She comments on how their team is successful because of “how hard they train together” and she sees “swimmers push themselves past where they thought they could go during tough sets”.