Sports
Norwich Free Academy Honors The Unified Basketball Team
The Unified Basketball Team has been chosen to represent the Special Olympics of Connecticut at the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games.
From Norwich Free Academy: Norwich Free Academy will recognize the Unified Basketball team during halftime of the boys varsity basketball game against East Lyme, 7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 13, at Alumni Gym. The team will be presented with a banner in their honor and will play an eight-minute exhibition game. The community is invited to come out and cheer on the Wildcats and support the Unified team.
NFA’s Unified Basketball team is an inclusive program that emphasizes team participation and interpersonal relationships between partners and athletes with special needs.
The Unified Basketball team has been selected to represent the Special Olympics of Connecticut at the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games this June in Seattle. Players and coaches are raising funds to cover travel and uniforms, and will be collecting donations at Tuesday’s game as well as at the varsity basketball game on Friday, Feb. 16. The total cost of the trip is $10,000. Donations can be made to Special Olympics Connecticut.
“Special Olympics Connecticut is thrilled that the Unified Basketball team from Norwich Free Academy will be a part of Team CT for the USA Games in Seattle,” said Laurie-Jean Hannon, Vice President, Sports and Competition for Special Olympics Connecticut. “The spirit and enthusiasm of both the athletes and partners truly makes this team remarkable. We are so excited to see them compete against other high school unified teams from around the country.”
Find out what's happening in Norwichfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
NFA's Unified Sports program has established a tradition of success. Last year, Special Olympics Connecticut and the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference recognized the program for outstanding accomplishment as a Banner Unified Champion School for demonstrating commitment to inclusion through Special Olympics Unified Sports, Inclusive Youth Leadership, and Whole School Engagement. Coach and special education teacher Chris Staley was also honored as an “Outstanding Coach of the Year” by Connecticut High School Coaches Association in 2017.
Image via Norwich Free Academy