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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.