In this article, I would like to explore a topic that’s not only close to my heart but also a key focus of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) – the crucial role of inclusivity in high school sports, with a special spotlight on adaptive sports. The WIAA commits to respecting all individuals and communities, providing a safe environment for positive and healthy activities, including providing equitable and diverse opportunities, strengthening character, instilling confidence, and maximizing potential through sportsmanship, leadership, and service. This article’s focus is on how this noble mission embraces adaptive sports, ensuring every student has the opportunity to thrive in high school sports. Let’s explore this vital aspect of inclusivity championed by the WIAA.

Why does inclusivity matter in sports? It not only matters but is necessary. It means ensuring everyone, regardless of their physical or mental abilities, has an opportunity to participate. It’s about creating an environment where differences are not just acknowledged but celebrated. Adaptive sports, tailored to athletes with disabilities, play a critical role in this. Adaptive sports modify traditional sports to meet the needs of all athletes, with physical or mental disabilities. These modifications level the playing field, allowing athletes with disabilities to compete and excel in sports they love. From wheelchair basketball to sitting volleyball, adaptive sports are as diverse as the athletes who play them.

Inclusivity through adaptive sports breaks down barriers. It challenges stereotypes about what athletes with disabilities can achieve and promotes understanding and empathy among all students. When schools embrace adaptive sports, they’re not just fostering athletic talent; they’re cultivating a culture of inclusivity and respect. Today, organizations like Seattle Adaptive Sports and Special Olympics are working to make adaptive sports accessible for all. And beyond this, participating in sports has physical and psychological benefits for all students. It boosts self-esteem, fosters teamwork, and improves overall health. Along with this, the impact of inclusive sports programs goes beyond individual benefits. They’re a powerful tool for social change, promoting equality and acceptance in the broader community.

For true inclusivity, adaptive sports shouldn’t be an afterthought but a key component of high school sports programs. Schools need to actively promote these opportunities and ensure they’re accessible to all students. Let’s champion a world where every high school athlete, regardless of ability, gets their chance to shine. Inclusivity in sports isn’t just about playing the game; it’s about changing the game for everyone.

Entering my first year of high school, I was confident I wanted to play volleyball—not only did I love the sport, but before my arrival I caught word of a rumor that “Interlake volleyball is getting a 6’2 freshman!” While I am not actually 6’2 (5’11, close enough) I felt I had to fulfill expectations to the best of my ability. What I encountered during this season was an incredible group of girls working together to play highly competitive volleyball. Though I look back on that experience very fondly, with an abbreviated season from our hybrid, post-pandemic schedule, and no real semblance of the school’s dynamic or culture, my understanding of what the future would hold at that time was greatly obstructed.

My first official experience of high school was my sophomore year, 2021, now with in-person learning. My nerves from the thought of having to build an entirely new social circle dulled quickly as the Fall volleyball
season began. There was an immediate bond throughout the team—even more significantly here than from the season prior. Despite our variety of backgrounds, differences in class, or even preexisting friendships, there seemed to be an overarching consensus that forming a connection with every person on the team was a priority. We attributed a ton of our success to this chemistry, pushing us through stressful five-set matches and dawn-till-dusk tournament days.

After finishing our last games at State, the season came to a close. As the glamor from the preceding months faded into a memory and my day-to-day lifestyle calmed, it did not take long for me to see the reality of my school.

Interlake is unique. For those who aren’t familiar, the International Baccalaureate (IB) program is a rigorous academic curriculum where students are required to learn and test in a broad scope of subjects, earning a diploma if they pass. Traditional IB is completed through the student’s junior and senior year, but with Accelerated IB, students can earn the diploma early by starting the program their sophomore and finishing their junior year. Interlake offers a trifecta—General Education, Traditional IB, and Accelerated IB. While this variety of educational pathways offers many opportunities, it has also produced a clear element of disunion. This problem is exacerbated by the reinforcement of these divisions: there is minimal overlap between General Education and IB, and even Traditional and Accelerated IB hardly intersect, despite involving the same classes in many cases. Distinctions structurally led to distinctions socially, and now stereotypes and stigmas run rampant between the different cohorts of Interlake.

Being in Accelerated IB, playing a high school sport has been one of the only consistent opportunities for me to branch out beyond the people in my particular curriculum. I have been able to form amazing relationships with people on separate paths, sustaining and cherishing them throughout my four years. And I am not alone in this experience—I have witnessed friends and peers connect with people from all different grades and groupings, starting solely from the court or the field. At Interlake, I’ve found there is more power in playing a sport beyond just staying active and engaging in competition—it has become a vessel for mending divisions and expanding empathy across differences.

I am so grateful for Interlake. I’ve been able to meet incredible people, gain supportive mentors, challenge myself academically, and grow immensely as a person; I have experienced these things to such a degree that I don’t believe I could have anywhere else. But there are changes to be made, and we are changemakers.

One of the many reasons I love being a part of WIAA LEAP is because we get to actively address systems and give voice to making changes. And one of the many reasons I love Interlake is it has shown me that while we wait for systems to change, I have a clear and powerful action step. It is my individual responsibility to find ways to reach across barriers—to be a bridge builder. We can all do this through sports, clubs, activities, and interest. Building community is exciting, challenging, and there for the willing. Because the great news is you don’t actually have to be 6’2 to get in the game.