Tiverton unified basketball program wins national honor

Special Olympics names school's program one of nation's best

By Ted Hayes
Posted 4/28/22

If true group athleticism involves perseverance, hard work, confidence, friendship and trust, Tiverton High School has it in spades. The school was recently recognized as a "National Unified …

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Tiverton unified basketball program wins national honor

Special Olympics names school's program one of nation's best

Aidan McCrosson (right) and coach Dave Landoch (right) and the team celebrate as they unveil their new sign saying that Tiverton is a national unifield champion High School.   Ethan Taylor (left) and Amelia Gerlach hold hands during the ceremony. 
BEFORE: Aidan McCrosson (right) and coach Dave Landoch (right) and the team celebrate as they unveil their new sign saying that Tiverton is a national unifield champion High School.  
RICHARD W. DIONNE JR.
<AFTER: Ethan Taylor (left) and Amelia Gerlach hold hands during the ceremony. 
RICHARD W. DIONNE JR.
Posted

If true group athleticism involves perseverance, hard work, confidence, friendship and trust, Tiverton High School has it in spades. The school was recently recognized as a "National Unified Championship School" by the national Special Olympics, in honor of the success of its unified basketball program.

Tiverton athletes and their partners celebrated the award earlier this month, as they gathered in the gymnasium to unfurl a banner congratulating the school on the rare honor. It was a day of joyous celebration.

The Unified Tigers basketball program, which pairs athletes with special needs and their fellow student partners together, has been running at the school for about 11 years, and is currently coached by assistant coaches Dave Landoch and Michelle Bennett. To win the national honor (one of only about 135 schools nationwide), the school had to demonstrate that its unified program reached 10 "pillars," including inclusion, engagement, and other measurements of the program's strength.

Tiverton applied for the four-year honor in 2019, and received word in 2020 that the school had won. But due to the pandemic, officials decided to hold the celebration until after pandemic restrictions eased. Tiverton will remain a unified championship school through next year.

There were plenty of smiles and some good-natured scrimmages at the recent ceremony. Students cheered and sang, spoke about what the honor means to them, and the house was packed.

Bennett, who has coached the unified program since she started teaching at the school, said she's seen a big change in students as the program has developed and grown to include its own club.

"I've seen a huge shift in the climate with the kids," she said. "They now include them at lunch, sports, and they always invite them to sit or just hang out. For me, the basketball season is the highlight of my year. We haven't won a game yet but they're out there having fun."

While most sports programs drill technique and style into the athletes, the unified program is not so heavy handed, she said. More important is giving the athletes and partners a way to connect and enjoy and value each other's company.

"Our school is so great," she said. "They cheer on the teams, they hype up our players. The pride that they have when they play, the smiles that we see, is what makes it worth it. They are so incredibly happy when they get a basket. The sportsmanship in our kids is incredible."

Athlete Aidan McCrosson said his favorite part about being on the team over the five years he's been at the high school is "just playing and having fun."

Though he's excited to graduate this year, he said, he'll look back on his time in unified with great happiness.

"Throughout these five years in unified, I am so glad I was able to be part of the team. I couldn't be prouder."

Note: School officials filmed a five-minute video from the recent celebration. To watch it, go to the "Julie Delcourt" channel on Youtube.

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