The Hull Unified Basketball Team has completed a successful first season. (Photo Courtesy Hull Public Schools) 
The Hull Unified Basketball Team participated in the Unified Basketball Post-Season Jamboree on Thursday, March 30. (Photo Courtesy Hull Public Schools) 
The Hull Unified Basketball Team celebrates the end to a successful season. (Photo Courtesy Hull Public Schools)
HULL — Superintendent Judith Kuehn and Memorial Middle School Principal Anthony Hrivnak are pleased to share that the Hull Unified Basketball Team has completed a successful first season.
The Unified Sports program in Massachusetts, run by Special Olympics Massachusetts in partnership with the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA), allows students with disabilities the opportunity to play sports alongside their peers in a fun and supportive environment.
The Hull Unified Basketball Team is comprised of 15 co-ed students and is coached by Hull High School teacher Hannah Hutchinson, South Shore Educational Collaborative (SSEC) Mini School teacher Dan Tramontana and SSEC Mini School assistant teacher Mackenzie McDonald.
The team has regularly scheduled practices, one to two times per week, and competes in regular season games.
The first game of the season was held on Thursday, March 16 at Pembroke Community Middle School, where the Hull Unified Basketball Team played the Pembroke Unified Basketball Team. The game concluded with a win for Pembroke, (26-20).
During the second and final regular season game on Monday, March 27 at Memorial Middle School, the Hull Unified Basketball Team played against the Canton Unified Basketball Team, ultimately winning (39-27).
“It was amazing to watch these students build their confidence and form new friendships throughout the season,” said Superintendent Kuehn. “I want to thank all students and staff who volunteered their time to make this season so special.”
To wrap up a successful season, the Hull Unified Basketball Team participated in the Unified Basketball Post-Season Jamboree, an event in which unified teams from surrounding districts play in a tournament of shorter games against a variety of opponents.
Family members, friends and students attended the Jamboree at West Bridgewater Middle-Senior High School on Thursday, March 30 to celebrate the completion of the first-ever Massachusetts Unified Basketball season. To kick off the event, Hull student-athletes participated in a parade into the gymnasium where they sang the national anthem before facing both the Canton Unified Basketball Team and the West Bridgewater Unified Basketball Team.
“I truly loved coaching our Unified Basketball team this year,” said coach Hutchinson. “It was amazing to see the sportsmanship and comradery these student-athletes exhibited in each practice and throughout the entire season.”
Following the tournament, players were awarded ribbons from Special Olympics Unified Sports as a symbol of their hard work and successes throughout the season.
“The first season for the Hull Unified Basketball team brought even more success than we could have ever imagined,” said SSEC Mini School Program Director Maureen Gattine. “I am greatly looking forward to continuing this program for many years to come.”
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