The unified sports movement is taking root in Massachusetts and helping participants thrive

“At the beginning of the game, you don’t believe in yourself,” said 17-year-old Sullivan. “Once you get excited, you start believing in yourself and taking all those shots. It was outstanding tonight.”

Similar scenes occur daily across the state, both in the fall with unified basketball and in the spring with unified athletics. Working with Special Olympics Massachusetts, the MIAA has created a unified sports movement for the past 12+ years.

When the unified circuit was introduced in 2012, eight teams from across the state competed. This number increased to 110 in spring 2024. Unified basketball has grown from six teams at its start in 2015 to 143 last fall.

More than 2,500 students participated in Unified Basketball at Bay State last fall. More than 1,800 participants competed in unified track and field last spring.

“It’s pretty incredible to see how quickly it’s caught on,” said MIAA associate director Peter Smith, the unified sports liaison, “and how quickly the programs have expanded across the state.”

For athletes with intellectual disabilities, uniform sports are a safe haven and an opportunity to express themselves creatively. For those who are excluded from another team or would otherwise not have the opportunity to play sports, this is an ideal alternative.

Smith attributes the increase in participation to a mix of awareness, strength in numbers and hard work from athletic directors, principals and more. Conference presentations highlighting success stories have encouraged others to follow suit.

Once teams see programs in their league thriving, they often start the initiative themselves. Special Olympics Massachusetts will provide $2,000 in the first year and $1,000 in the second year. The goal then is for the schools to be self-sustaining.

Weymouth started Unified Sports in 2018 with 14 people on the basketball team. That number has increased to 46, and the program has received national recognition for its commitment to inclusion.

Weymouth coach Lisa Stokes said she was overjoyed at the growth of the unified sport both in Weymouth and beyond. Assistant coach Ginny Disanto said the unified sport was a highlight of her almost 40 years at Weymouth. She called Stokes, who beamed just as much as the players did when she was a referee, the “heart of the program.”

“It’s a breath of fresh air,” Stokes said. “You just smile.”

Duxbury Unified basketball coach Rachel Files Goulding said the program has grown so much that the Dragons had to limit it to 24 to keep playing time manageable.

This is a good problem to have because it shows how much commitment and buy-in there is in the school and in the community.

“We have so many kids coming back,” Files Goulding said. “They’re excited to be part of it.”

While the action is competitive and high intensity, it’s all about collaboration and fun. At halftime, the players danced to the “Cha-Cha Slide” and demonstrated their jumps and coordination. Madeline Farrell enlivened the crowd for Weymouth and Emily Keller did the same for Duxbury.

Then it was back to business, as the duel was characterized by dramatic twists and turns right up to the end.

In a packed gymnasium, with coaches, fans and members of the Weymouth dance and cheer team behind their every move, the Wildcats and Dragons put on a dazzling performance. Lily Budak scored 32 points for Duxbury and after an epic battle with several lead changes, the game ended in a 52-52 tie.

In a sport that emphasizes inclusivity, teamwork and fun, it was a fitting end.

“We’ll take that,” Stokes said. “We both come out victorious.”

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Trevor Hass can be reached at [email protected].