This article was written by Viktor Shevchenko
Stepping into the gym, the lights are blinding. All you hear is the cheers from the audience and the sound of the game. As you clear your eyes, you start to see smiles on the faces of the players and the passion of the viewers. Barriers are broken, placing students with and without disabilities on the same team, and all that is remaining is a positive atmosphere and unity.
In a world split by differences, Unified Sports takes an important role – it pursues diversity and inclusion and puts everyone on an equal playing field. Students with disabilities unite with other students, creating one unified team. Unified Sports shatters all the stereotypes and stigmas regarding people with disabilities. It fosters unity and shows that everyone has equal opportunities.
The history of Unified Sports in high school is pretty fresh. The program only started 3 years ago here thanks to the initiative of teacher Joslyn Fox. Before that, it existed for a year at Crossroads Middle school. Now in high school, it’s led by coaches and teachers Kathy Vogel and Julie Haveman.
Vogel, an English teacher, has been helping the development of Unified Sports for 4 years and looks back at the beginning of Unified sports in high school and her role there with fond memories.
“I was lucky enough to work with Mrs. Sugiyama over at the middle school. So we co-coached the basketball team, and we got the program up and running,” Vogel said. “Then we were excited when Mrs. Fox from the high school wanted to start a unified program here. So when I moved over to the high school, I asked Mrs. Fox if I could work alongside her and Mrs. Haveman as a unified coach.”
Sophomore Quinn Bjorkman, a Unified Sports player, sees the importance of Unified Sports in our school and in the world overall.
“Unified sports is important because it includes everyone and makes everyone feel included, and you learn new things and learn how to be a better teammate, and it’s fun,” Bjorkman said.
Unified Sports is a great source of memories that people recall with warmth. Bjorkman loves Unified Sports not only for the joy and fun it brings but also events that are printed in her mind forever.
“I’ve had lots of favorite memories, but the one that I really like was when after one of the Unified basketball games we played in a different school. We went to McDonald’s. We all ate as a team, we talked, and it was really fun,” Bjorkman said.
Sophomore Avery Shubert is a part of Unified Sports in the school. Shubert finds the community engaging and appreciates the support it gives to the players.
“Everyone feels included and they feel like they belong there, on the team,“ Shubert said, “My teammates like Brayden and Judah, they always encourage me to go slow underneath the hoop and just shoot.”
Junior Hunter Reames has been taking part in Unified Sports since 8th grade. Reames is fond of the tradition they have with the team as it brings joy and gives an opportunity to spend time together.
“Every year we go to West Ottawa for a big tournament for all of them. It’s really good. It gets everyone happy, and it’s a day to get out of school, so everyone really enjoys that,” Reames said.
Everyone loves to watch sports games but Unified Sports games are special. They bring joy not from the fact that your team wins but because of the cheers and smiles you see on the faces of both spectators and players.
Special education teacher and unified sports coach for the past two years, Haveman appreciates the support and dedication the school puts in Unified Sports.
“I love to watch students working together. I love how excited the fans are for their peers. I love how excited the parents of our students are that their child gets to be a part of something like this. I like the way our staff supports us. Our administrators support it. Mr. Marsman is probably our biggest cheerleader that helps us out a lot,” Haveman said.
The players are ready for the next tournament in February. Beyond the game and score, Unified sports is about building genuine friendship and sharing positive energy. Even when the gym lights turn off, the unity and connection stays within the community. It stands as a strong reminder that everyone has a fair chance to play and to win.
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