Unified sports for young people with intellectual disabilities take root

WEYMOUTH — When the halftime buzzer sounded last week, Weymouth Unified basketball standout Connor Sullivan bounced giddily on the sidelines and raised both hands in the air.

Sullivan, playing his first game with the Wildcats, waved to the crowd after making three straight shots against Duxbury. The fans cheered and let him know the feeling was mutual, then Sullivan returned to the bench with a huge smile on his face.

“At the start of the game, you don’t believe in yourself,” Sullivan, 17, said. “Once you get pissed off, you start believing in yourself and nailing all those shots. It was exceptional this evening.

Similar scenes play out daily across the state, both in the fall with Unified basketball and in the spring with Unified track and field. In partnership with Special Olympics Massachusetts, the MIAA has spearheaded a unified sports movement for the past 12 years.

When unified track began in 2012, eight teams from across the state competed. That number skyrocketed to 110 in the spring of 2024. Unified basketball grew from six teams at the start in 2015 to 143 last fall.

More than 2,500 students participated in a Unified basketball game last fall at the Bay State. More than 1,800 people competed in unified track and field last spring.

“It’s pretty amazing how quickly this has spread,” said MIAA Associate Director Peter Smith, the liaison for Unified Sports, “and how quickly the programs have grown across the State.”

For athletes with intellectual disabilities, unified sports provide a refuge and a way to express themselves creatively. For those who are excluded from another team or who would not have the opportunity to exercise, this is an ideal alternative.

Smith attributes the increase in participation to a mix of awareness, strength in numbers and diligence on the part of athletic directors, principals and more. Presentations at conferences featuring success stories have encouraged others to follow suit.

Once teams see their league’s programs flourish, they often take on the initiative themselves. Special Olympics Massachusetts provides funding of $2,000 the first year, $1,000 the second, with the goal of schools being self-sustaining.

Weymouth launched unified sports in 2018, with 14 people on the basketball team. That number grew to 46, and the program gained national recognition for its commitment to inclusion.

Weymouth coach Lisa Stokes said she was excited about the growth of Unified sports, both in Weymouth and beyond. Assistant coach Ginny Disanto said Unified sports has been a highlight of her nearly 40 years working at Weymouth. She called Stokes, who beamed as much as the players when she officiated, “the heart of the program.”

“It’s a breath of fresh air,” Stokes said. “You just smile.”

Duxbury Unified basketball coach Rachel Files Goulding said the program grew so much that the Dragons had to limit it to 24 to keep playing time manageable.

This is a good issue because it shows how much involvement and buy-in there is around the school and community.

“We have so many kids coming back,” Files Goulding said. “They’re excited to be a part of it.”

Although the action is competitive and high intensity, it is even more focused on collaboration and joy. At halftime, the players sang the “Cha Cha Slide,” showing off their jumps and coordination. Madeline Farrell invigorated the crowd for Weymouth and Emily Keller did the same for Duxbury.

Then it was back to business, as the match featured dramatic twists and turns until the very end.

In a packed gymnasium, with coaches, fans and members of the Weymouth dance and cheer team behind their every move, the Wildcats and Dragons put on a dazzling spectacle. Lily Budak scored 32 points for Duxbury, and after an epic battle with several lead changes down the stretch, they found themselves down 52-52.

In a sport that values ​​inclusiveness, teamwork and fun, it was a fitting ending.

“We’ll take that,” Stokes said. “We both come out winners.”