Unified basketball is coming up on its fifth season in the Rochester area, celebrating inclusion as athletes with and without intellectual disabilities form one team.

What began as unified sports in schools across Monroe County has now expanded to include outlying counties. Newark was one of the first schools in Wayne County to participate in the program.

"We really love it. It's just brought so many people together in our school," said head coach Matt Groot.

  • Partnership between public high schools and Special Olympics NY
  • Puts athletes on path to learning and forming friendships
  • Newark one of the first Wayne County school to participate in the program

Unified Champion Schools are partnerships between New York public high schools and Special Olympics New York. The schools promote inclusion in sports and bring together athletes with and without intellectual disabilities on one team.

"The whole model and the whole reason behind it is for inclusion, so I've seen growth in all of our athletes across the board. They've all made new friendships. They've all gotten to meet new people," said Groot.

Micah Utley-Powell is one player who is excited to be on the team.

"Basketball is my favorite sport so that's why I like to play basketball. I practice at my house to get better, and I like my teammates," said Utley-Powell, program participant.

"I never made it on the basketball team so having another time to actually play basketball, but with a group of students who are always positive, they're always smiling and they're very enthusiastic about the sport, just makes me love it even more," said Alexandra Ventura, program participant.

The principle behind the shared sports program is simple; by training and playing together, these athletes are on a path to learning and forming friendships.

"Everybody that participates learns something new about people and experiences they gain really help them grow a lot," said head coach, Matt Groot.