Basketball: It's more than a game.

Colby Haberl and Jacob Golan play on the Unified Basketball team at Iroquois High School.

 “I think it’s fun to do and keeps me busy,” said Jacob Golan, a senior at the school.

Their friendship goes beyond the basketball court.

“My partner Jake.. hmm.. well he's a great guy in school,” said fellow Iroquois senior Colby Haberl. “Jokes around with me in the hallways.”

”Colby puts a smile on my face every time I see him,” Jacob said.

Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools allows students with or without disabilities to play on the court or field.

Jacob has been on the unified team for three years.

”If I was never part of unified, I don't think I'd be able to play any of these sports or do the things we do,” he said.  

Colby was the first ever partner to come into the program.

“Unified has taught me how to make my patience a little longer, have a blast and go with the flow,” Colby said.

However, these two young men are seniors and will go their separate ways after graduation.

Colby said being on the Unified sports teams were some of his best memories of high school.

”Unified sports is something people should do, because trust me, it does change your life,” Colby said. “And once you do it once, you keep on coming back.

As graduation approaches, both Colby and Jake are thankful for their team, their friendship and unified sports for bringing them together.

They’re grateful for finding family at school, in sports, on a unified team. Besides the love of the sport, both Colby and Jake encourage people to make every moment matter.

The Special Olympics New York Unified Games are underwritten locally by Bryant & Stratton College.