Unified athletes take pride in their new beginning
By Bryce Kanser and Kallie McCann, Staff Writers
November 4, 2021
This year, the Norwood Public Schools District was given a grant to start a Special Olympics Unified Champion program and students and staff have been very involved since the beginning. This fall, the Unified Champions program started up a basketball team.
Liaisons Ms. Caitlin Nottebart and Mr. Ryan Quigley look forward to continuing the basketball season and possibly starting a unified track and field team this spring.
Being a unified champion district requires a lot of work according to liaison and special education teacher, Ms. Caitlin Nottebart.
“To be a unified champion school means that we have done certain requirements that the Special Olympics committee and the Unified Champions board members have asked us to do, such as spirit weeks, and promoting inclusivity," she said.
Besides the title, there is actually a lot of meaning behind it. Mr. Quigley who is another liaison and also a Wellness teacher at Norwood High noted the importance of the meaning behind the program.
“I think most importantly, A unified sports school...shows a willingness to accept each individual, to accept their individual talents and just really use the talents of each in every person," he said
Both are also looking positively at the future of the program.
The liaisons look forward to a crossover between the Unified program and the Friendship Club.
“We are trying to partner with our Friendship Club. So we are hoping we can branch together and be able to really make sure that everybody, no matter their race, their sexual orientation, their social-economic status, feels welcome,” Ms. Nottebart said.
Mr. Quigley is also hoping to add a spring track team to the program.
“Well, I know that right now with the basketball program, we have Coach McDonnell leading the charge...she's been doing a great job. And I think that our hope is that come springtime with spring track, we will have more enthusiasm and participation.”
According to Mr. Quigley, the new basketball team has been a great success ever since the beginning of the Unified Champion grant.
“You just have to be willing to try something new," he said.
Speaking of “trying something new,” one of the first unified sports is basketball, and the team is currently 4-2. Under the coaching of Ms. McDonnell, the team has had a victorious win streak.
“We have been doing so well, especially for their first time being out here and the team being together. I've been so proud of how much they have just come together and shared the ball and we have been doing great, just a lot of good talent and a lot of hard work" McDonnell said.
Even though Unified Basketball is fairly new, Ms. McDonnell, with a huge smile on her face, said how much she appreciates the team and how important it is to her.
“Oh this is everything right now, you know at a time when we have come out of a pandemic to find joy in life this is at the top of the list right now for me, it means everything, I absolutely love these kids,” she said.
Junior athletes, Eve Andrews and Joe Grant, and Senior athlete Sam Rogala, all enjoy being a part of the team and appreciate the meaning behind it.
“It means making the school a more inclusive place and really, honestly, having a good team, [and] a good community because everyone gets along really well,” Eve said.
“Yea, I think it's really good to give people who don't always have the chance to be included and [to] be [a]part of something that makes them really excited and everyone is really happy to play,” Sam said.
“I think the full point of the game is just being there as a team, working together, and just having fun,” Joe said.
Between all of them, it's clear that the team has a huge impact on the community and their lives.
The Unified program is always looking for students to become more inclusive and involved. See Ms. McDonnell, Mrs. Nottebart, or Mr. Quigley for more information.