Kristy Tallman
At the Sweet Home School District board meeting held on Feb. 12, 2024, the board recognized the unified basketball team, offering Brian Brands, the newly appointed Director of Student Services, the opportunity to speak about the team’s success. Brand’s passion for the initiative was palpable as he shared its profound impact with attendees.
Unified basketball is part of Unified Sports, a division within the Special Olympics. Its goal is to bring together individuals with and without intellectual disabilities in a safe and enjoyable environment. By promoting teamwork and inclusivity, unified basketball works to break down societal barriers and stereotypes associated with disabilities, emphasizing the importance of unity and acceptance.
“We just started unified basketball at the high school. The concept is half of the players are IEP kids, half the kids are kind of really anyone but mostly National Honor Society. So we had our first game about a month ago. We had an assembly game. We played a 2:30 game where all the students were in the gym. And if you’ve never been to a game, there’s nothing like a packed gym, band playing, cheerleaders, and anytime someone scores everybody freaks out.”
Unified basketball at Sweet Home premiered approximately a month ago with its inaugural game. The Huskies Unified basketball team made their debut on Jan. 15 at Newport, where they faced off against the Newport Cubs in an intense match-up. Despite falling short with a final score of 26-20 in favor of the Newport Cubs, the event marked a significant milestone for the program.
Board members and attendees were treated to a moving glimpse of the program’s essence through a video presentation, featuring heartfelt testimonials from students and coaches. In the video, John Best, the head coach of the Unified Basketball team, shared his initial skepticism, followed by a profound change of heart.
Best explained previous to working for SHHS, he worked for Fernridge School District as their athletic director and assistant principal at their high school. He said Sutherlin’s athletic director had told him if he ever got a chance he needed to start a unified basketball team. “It was just the best thing I ever did,” he stated.
“Unified sports are kind of like, related to Special Olympics. So it’s an opportunity for our kids, that are some of our basic life-skills kids, to compete in sports. They do it with some help from kids that we call partners,” stated Dan Tow, Sweet Home High School Athletic Director.
“I’ll admit, I had my doubts at first,” Best confessed with a chuckle. “But seeing the joy on these kids’ faces, the sense of belonging—it’s the best thing I ever did.”
Student partners, such as Kelsey Ellis and Gavin Gardner, eloquently conveyed their experiences of teamwork and friendship forged on the court. “Unified Basketball isn’t just about scoring points,” Ellis explained. “It’s about making memories and supporting each other, no matter what.”
Gardner echoed her sentiments, adding, “It’s amazing how a game can bring people together. We’re not just teammates; we’re family.”
The Unified Basketball Program not only promotes physical activity but also serves as a catalyst for building meaningful relationships and fostering inclusivity within the school community. Participants in the video spoke of the electrifying atmosphere at games, where cheers of encouragement resounded, transcending differences and uniting students in a shared spirit of camaraderie.
One student, in the presentation, described his time at the game, “Watching that assembly the other day, the school was just electric, and the energy was high. They’re all super supportive. I feel like it really brings everyone together watching these guys play. And that’s something that school needs. I heard parents were crying about how cool it was.”
While another described his experience, “It was all over social media. It’s a big thing. I hear about it in the hallways, people asking when our next game is, seeing so many people there, the cheerleaders, and the band. It was awesome. One of my students was actually on the unified team when I saw him, working with the other students and helping them and passing the ball off to them and being so supportive, that takes like a really big heart to have the patience, but she just kind of acted like this is normal, this is the way we do it. People were crying, really, really proud tears.”
Terry Martin, SHSD Superintendent stated at the end of Brands’ presentation, “Not only is Brian doing a great job in his job as student services director, but you’re going to find, I believe, if you ever need to hang your hat on something, doing that for the kids, and being in uniform, getting announced, coming out, the cheerleaders are there, the band’s there, the gym is full on both sides – our kids are amazing. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
Brands underscored the program’s potential for expansion, with plans to introduce it at the junior high and elementary levels in the future. He emphasized the importance of fostering an inclusive culture within the district, where every student feels valued and supported.
“I’ve seen firsthand the transformative power of Unified Sports,” Brands remarked, his voice resonating with conviction. “It’s about building connections and breaking down barriers.”