unified basketball game

Sports are not only fun, they can be for everyone. This last Thursday, Palisade’s Unified basketball team traveled to Grand Junction High School to compete against other special needs teams in the school district. These teams included Palisade, Fruita, Fruita 8/9, Central, and Junction. Lots of parents and students watched from the sidelines as our Bulldogs had a blast. For many families, this was the first time they saw their child compete on a team. This was an opportunity for these Bulldogs to feel accepted and loved for who they are by their peers, both those with and without disabilities. The students practiced hard for these games and learned that each member of a team is valuable. They played a total of four games, only winning the last one but that wasn’t the point of this event. The rules for these games were different from standardized high school games, including that everyone on the court needs to touch the ball before someone can touch it again. This was also a great reunion for the students, as they saw fellow friends and teachers from other schools. After the game, it was a sunny day so the team skipped school to have a pizza party in the local park. But the best part about the game was that people who wanted to play could join, but those who didn’t could have other jobs that contributed to the team including running the scoreboard or being team captain. “As their teacher I was very proud because we have gotten many comments outside of school about how great of a team they are,” says Ms. Hall, a teacher in the Special Needs Department. “I had an overwhelming sense of pride seeing how far these young adults have come in their high school years.”