'A chance to shine': Unified Basketball a positive experience for Wilson, Staunton athletes
FISHERSVILLE — Tim and Amy Brown were in the crowd Thursday at Wilson Memorial's gym. They were there to see their son, Hayden, and his Wilson teammates play Staunton in a Unified Basketball game.
"This means a lot to all these kids because it gives them a chance to shine," Tim said. "All the attention is on them instead of the attention going to everybody else a lot of times. It gives them a chance in the spotlight."
Hayden is nonverbal and uses a wheelchair, but being part of the Unified Basketball team at Wilson is a chance for him to take part in activities that non-disabled students sometimes take for granted.
"It doesn't differentiate them from other people," said Amy about her son's playing basketball. "Because their disabilities do differentiate them greatly."
Unified sports joins people with and without disabilities for athletic competitions. According to the Special Olympics website, "Having sport in common is just one more way that preconceptions and false ideas are swept away."
Wilson Memorial is one of two Augusta County high schools with a Unified Basketball team. The other is Stuarts Draft. Staunton and Waynesboro also have teams. Thursday's game was the second of the season for Wilson. They'll conclude their season Oct. 25 at Staunton High School when all four local teams will play. Stuarts Draft and Staunton play at 6:30 followed by Wilson Memorial and Waynesboro.
Stacy Cumbo helps coach the Staunton team.
"It just gives them such confidence," she said. "It's just a lot of fun for them. And I think it makes them feel so good to see everyone cheer them on. It's just something that we get to look forward to every week."
On Thursday, in addition to the fans, the Wilson Memorial pep band was in the bleachers playing music throughout the game, and the Wilson cheerleaders were there to support the teams. Even the Hornet mascot showed up.
Laura Jordan is an adapted physical education teacher in Augusta County. She said Unified Basketball was extremely popular before the pandemic, but, until this year, games hadn't been played since 2019.
"This is great for our kids because, of course, our kids, most of them, could never play a varsity sport," Jordan said. "So we make them feel like they're on a varsity sport. They get to put on a varsity jersey, the band comes, the cheerleaders. This is like an experience of a lifetime for these guys."
The goal for the spring semester, Jordan said, is to establish Unified Basketball at both Wilson and Stuarts Draft middle schools. She is working closely with the county's other adapted P.E. teacher, MacKenzie Pettrey, to make that happen.
"It's exciting coming out and watching this," said Gerald Wells, who was watching his son, James Dull, play for Staunton. "The kids get out there, enjoy themselves, have a good time. He is kind of learning and having a good time. And it really lets them use their muscles and gets some coordination going and it's a good time."
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Patrick Hite is The News Leader's education reporter. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Contact Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@newsleader.com and follow him on Twitter @Patrick_Hite. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.
This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Unified Basketball provides confidence for Wilson and Staunton athletes
