ROCHESTER, N.Y. — March Madness draws people together at winter's end. So does an inclusive local basketball program.

It takes a team to reach the biggest goals. In a Rochester gym, it appears Claire Lashomb has found hers.  

She contracted a virus at just 15 months old that took her ability to walk. But that hasn't slowed her down.

"I like when we do the end games because that's really fun, and dribbling, and I like doing the partner sprints because those are pretty crazy," said Lashomb.

Claire’s first goal was to be part of a team. For kids like her, it’s often easier said than done.

“For youth with disabilities, it's not something that you see offered consistently across their childhood,” said Anita O'Brien.

O’Brien helped found Rochester Accessible Adventures with that goal in mind. Kids learn the game and a whole lot more.

"It's very cool because it's kind of impressive that every wheelchair and other disability, people can all do stuff like, like people that don't have disabilities which is very like, makes me happy, because it's not fair that someone else can do this and someone else can't,” said Lashomb.

“The power of sports intrigues me," said O'Brien. "You know, there really is something about people playing together and learning to play together.”

It's something every parent wants for their kids.

“She looks forward to it; she talks about she's so excited,” said Sarah Burns, Lashomb's mother.

It's an opportunity her mom says Claire didn’t have before her family moved here.

“You're always really hopeful that they'll join things and participate, and she gets to be a part of a team,” Burns said.

One big hurdle and frustration for young people with disabilities is being able to do things their friends do.

“It can be tricky," said O'Brien. "How do you push with two hands and dribble and shoot?"

With this program friends are invited. You don’t have to be in a wheelchair to play in one.

“So that whole process is empowering psychologically and emotionally for kids to see themselves represented,” O'Brien said.

“The thing that brings us together is the game,” said O'Brien.

For more information about Rochester Accessible Adventures, click here.