WOBURN – Principal Steve Martin is pleased to announce that Woburn Memorial High School will launch a Unified Sports program.
The Unified Sports program, the first to be implemented in the district, will begin with the creation of a Unified basketball team at the high school. The district will join others in the Middlesex League to come together as a community and compete.
The Unified Sports program will provide students with disabilities the opportunity to play high school sports alongside their peers in a fun and supportive environment. The program falls under the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletics Association (MIAA) which partners with Special Olympics Massachusetts to support Unified Sports.
Special Education Teacher and Best Buddies Advisor Jessica Stone had a large role in creating Woburn’s Unified sports program and was thrilled to see it put into motion.
“The start of the Unified basketball team is a great step in the right direction,” said Stone. “We’ve wanted this for a while and it’s very exciting to see it come alive. We hope to be able to develop the program and start other Unified Sports teams in the future.”
The Unified basketball team will begin its season during the first week of April. The team will have one practice and one game each week, creating a flexible schedule with a rolling roster so participants can attend when they are available.
The five players on the court will include three students with disabilities and two general education students. The students will work together to keep each other engaged and involved in the game.
In addition to its regular season games, the team also plans to compete in a ‘Hoopapalooza’ mini tournament on Wednesday, May 24, with other teams from the area.
“All of us at Woburn are excited to see these students use their teamwork and collaborative skills to come together and play Unified basketball,” said Superintendent Crowley. “A Unified Sports program is something we’ve been interested in for years. Thank you to everyone who was involved in its creation.”
For more information on Unified Sports, visit the Special Olympics Massachusetts Unified Sports website here and the MIAA website here.
Discover more from John Guilfoil Public Relations
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.