A Slam Dunk for Inclusivity and Community

By KAYLA JACKSON

When walking into Washingtonville High School’s gymnasium last Thursday, spectators were greeted with a full student section cheering on their favorite athletes as the starting lineup was announced. It was the first unified basketball game hosted at the school and the community was ecstatic.

Unified Basketball is an inclusive program that brings students with and without intellectual disabilities together onto the same team. The program is gaining widespread recognition and praise for its positive impact on school communities. More than just a game, Unified Basketball is changing school culture, one basket at a time. The game fosters inclusivity and creates lasting friendships between students of all abilities.

The initiative is spearheaded by Special Olympics, the world’s largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Their mission is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in an array of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. 

The Special Olympics Organization believes in the power of sports to transform lives. They see how it instills confidence, improves health and inspires a sense of competition in their athletes to help them stay well-rounded in all they do. 

The positive effects of Unified Basketball can be seen in the community and athletes that all came out to support Washingtonville Unified Basketball’s first home game in program history. While the game ended in a loss for the team, the Wizards put up an amazing fight and had some awesome highlights. 

One of Washingtonville's student athletes, Juan, scored the first point of the game and the reaction from the crowd was incredible. Everyone was on their feet and cheering since the program had their first point scored in the home gym. After the awesome reaction from the crowd, he came up to the camera and asked, “Did you get that? Is that going on BGTV?” 

Amanda Polanco, another athlete on the team shared how for her, the experience goes far beyond the scoreboard. “Being a part of Unified Basketball has changed how I see school. It’s not just about basketball but making friendships and learning teamwork and inclusion, more than any other experience I’ve been a part of.” 

Unified Basketball is more than a team- it's a movement that is reshaping the way students connect, support one another and celebrate differences. With every game, players and fans are reminded that inclusion, respect, and unity belong both on and off the court. As the program continues to grow in our community, so does the positive energy it brings to the entirety of Washingtonville- proving that when everyone plays, everyone wins.