Learning New Lessons Through Unified Hoops 

Mason Douglas - Feb 18, 2026 

Unified basketball is an extraordinary experience. The practices, the games and the relationships created are special and spectacular. 

This is something I have never before experienced.

On the court, there’s really no difference between the athletes and partners. As a partner, my main job is to help coach on the court and help the athletes score. 

Unified basketball means there’s a mix of athletes from coded classrooms and athletes from other sports. Together, they play a four-quarter game using standard basketball rules and officials.

This year, I decided to try this because it's different from what I'm used to and it's something out of my comfort zone. 

Quickly, I discovered an amazing feeling working with my Unified teammates. I have made more friends and started to understand what these guys love to do.

Practices are one of the places where you can help and collaborate with the athletes and show them what to do and where to go. It's basically a teaching game, but one thing I started to realize is our athletes have the same heart and drive to play the game as I have.

Coach Jason Elliott makes everyone comfortable and explains the X’s and O’s so everyone can comprehend the game plan. He designs plays so that scoring is easier and there's an open man from all sides of the court for an easy basket.   

Off the court and in school it’s easy to talk to my new teammates. Sometimes, I go to their classroom and say hi or just ask them about their day. That gives me a happy and satisfying feeling that I can just come up and talk about anything.

The way the athletes celebrate when they score, the smiles on their faces are truly heartwarming. It makes it to where I don’t want to score anymore. I want to let the athletes have the time of their lives.

Also, the sportsmanship from not only my teammates, but with the opposing team, it’s one big unit of support and teamwork.

Unified sports are supposed to be fun and something to learn from for me and all of the athletes. Something I thought I would never do changed my perspective and my love for the game.

I would love to do this type of sport year-round. I wish I started doing this my freshman year, but I didn’t find out until dad told me about it this year. 

Our goal for the end of this season is to win another state championship because, in my eyes, I see so much potential with this team.

The players, games, friendships and collaboration that this sport holds is extraordinary and very rare, so much so that I would want to do this for as long as I can, no regrets.