JD Disturco, Reporter
@JDDcourant
The school’s unified sports season in the winter brings various types of students together. Students with disabilities, also known as complex learners and their partners compete in a basketball game against a rival school.
Head of Special Education, Kevin Ryan, is very enthusiastic about this program. “It’s a great thing that we have to offer to the students,” Mr. Ryan said. “Unified sports has been implemented in most schools in the state, and it’s great to see the popularity at the high school.”
However, unlike most schools, New Canaan only has unified sports in the winter, only offering basketball. “In other towns in Fairfield County there’s basketball, soccer, and baseball, but we only offer basketball,” Mr. Ryan said.
The complex learners also have partners in the game that practice with them, “Partners do play as well. They don’t shoot, they’ll pass to the complex learners, encouraging them. They might grab a rebound and give it back to the kids, but they don’t actively participate in the game.” Mr. Ryan said.
Physical education and health teacher, Priscilla Schultz, helps coach the students. “Most of the partners got involved throughout the club fair,” Ms. Schultz said. “Our student leaders promoted unified sports to get more partners.”
Being a partner in the program has many benefits. “Everybody playing together regardless of your ability makes it a lot of fun,” Ms. Schultz said. “It unites everyone because everybody gets to know one another and become friends.”
The partners and complex learners practiced Monday afternoons for half an hour and had competitions throughout the winter. “They practice everything from dribbling, moving down the court, passing, and shooting,” Mr. Ryan said. “Some kids can dribble down the court, some kids just take it and run. There’s not a lot of defense, it’s about allowing them to play and participate with other kids”.
Junior Dylan Rees joined the unified sports program as a partner this year, and enjoyed this experience. “When I joined, I came to the Monday practices frequently, and the games later in the season,” Dylan said. “Our practices and scrimmages have really helped strengthen our relationships, and it makes me happy to see how open everyone is, now that the group has gotten closer.”
Dylan manages his schoolwork, sports, and other commitments while doing unified sports. “The unified season takes place in the winter, during a season when I don’t play a school sport,” Dylan said. “But this doesn’t limit others who do play a winter sport. We usually get a lot of players for our practices and scrimmages.”
The unified program is open to anyone who wants to join. “There’s no criteria limitations that would inhibit participation from any student,” Dylan said. “It’s different from other sports at the high school where there are tryouts and long practices after school.”
The unified program helps to unite everyone participating: teachers, complex learners, and partners alike. “Through the unified sports program, students grow a passion for basketball and get the opportunity to learn the importance of teamwork and commitment,” Dylan said. “I can confidently say that the unified program has helped introduce me to many students I wouldn’t have met otherwise, whom I’m now happy to call my friends.”
The functionality of the game is different from a basketball game. “It’s a much shorter game, there are four short quarters, and it’s up to the coaches to sub kids in and out to equal playing time,” Mr. Ryan said.
In a unified sports game, the score isn’t the deciding factor of who wins. “There was a regional tournament at Fairfield Ludlowe at the beginning of March,” Mr. Ryan said. “It had five or six different teams, and I noticed they didn’t keep the score at that game, it was just the kids playing, everyone’s a winner.”
Additionally, Ms. Schultz holds an alternative gym class for anyone who wants to play with complex learners. “The best buddies class is open to juniors and seniors, and it counts as your Phys Ed credit,” Ms. Schultz said.
However, it is not required to be in the unified sports program to participate in best buddies. “Kids have sports and other out-of-school commitments that they have to attend to,” Ms. Schultz said. “It’s separate, but encouraged.”
The unified sports program has grown a significant amount since its inception. “I first started it because I saw it developing in other districts,” Ms. Schultz said. “Because unified sports are so big in Connecticut, I started a chapter at the high school, and it’s been successful ever since.”
