This year, Midview High School students with and without disabilities will join together on the fields and courts of play under Midview High School’s Unified Sports program.
Unified Sports, created by the Special Olympics, is aimed at promoting inclusivity, fostering leadership, and encouraging friendship and acceptance among young student-athletes of all abilities.
“Programs like Best Buddies and Unified Sports have been incredibly valuable in supporting an inclusive environment at Midview High School,” said MHS Intervention Specialist Katie Evin. “Unified Sports provides our students with disabilities the opportunity to compete in athletics and have fun with their friends and teammates. They are learning more about perseverance, discipline, teamwork, and most importantly, what they are capable of as individuals and athletes!”
Midview High School joins Amherst Local Schools, Elyria City Schools, Lorain City Schools, North Ridgeville City Schools, Perkins Local Schools, and Sandusky City Schools as part of Ohio Unified Sports Conference E.
Their fall sports season includes flag football, soccer, and cheerleading. Students will participate in basketball, corn hole, and cheerleading in winter, followed by track and field and kickball in the spring. Special Olympics provides uniforms and equipment for each sport.
The Midview High School Unified Sports teams practice for 30 minutes three times per week during their seminar period. Teams consist of Special Olympians and one to two students without disabilities who are not in-season athletes.
This season, Midview Unified Sports has played in one flag football tournament, in which they won two of their four games.
“The excitement our kids have about being involved in athletics and having success is awesome,” said MHS Intervention Specialist Don Caramell. “They look forward to learning, practicing, and competing together as a team. The joy on their faces is what unified sports is all about.”
Through a partnership between Special Olympics Ohio and the Cleveland Browns, Midview Unified Sports student-athletes will participate in a “skill day” on October 11 with Browns coaches.
Upcoming Midview Unified Sports tournaments will be shared on midviewathletics.com once the district is notified. Currently, a full schedule has not been solidified for the year.