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'It's very powerful': Students embrace inclusion at Sask. basketball tourney

When they saw their school jerseys unpacked this past Friday, Martin Collegiate students' eyes lit up. Saturday's provincial high school tournament beckoned ahead, the first time they would represent their school in the sport of unified basketball.

Grade 9 student Hunter Deerkitt has long been an athlete and bowler, but had never played in a team sport.

His school introduced the unified basketball program this year, with partner athletes from the mainstream program playing alongside students with intellectual or physical disabilities. But Deerkitt didn't exactly leap at the opportunity to take part.

"I wasn't interested at first but Miss [Jill] Williams — also known as the best teacher in the entire universe, and coach — convinced me to go," said Deerkitt, who has autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and a mild intellectual disability. "And I went and I enjoyed it."

His enjoyment came down to one thing, in the end — the "wonderful team" he said he plays alongside.

Since starting basketball, Hunter's mother, Lynn Deerkitt, says her son has been more eager to go to school, while the team-building has helped him improve his social skills.

"It's enriched his life a lot."

Unified basketball takes off

Saturday's tournament at Regina's Archbishop MC O'Neill marked the second year that Saskatchewan has hosted a unified provincial basketball tournament, bringing students of all abilities and backgrounds together to play across three divisions. Last year, only a few schools took part, but interest has exploded, with more than a dozen schools from across the province sending teams for this year's tourney.

It's hard to distinguish the difference between mainstream and Special Olympic athletes at the O'Neill gymnasium, with everyone wearing their school jerseys and chatting companionably on the stands, or competing equally fiercely on the basketball floor, as part of three-on-three teams.

For Chris Hamilton, youth coordinator for provincial Special Olympics, it's gratifying to see the difference sports can make for non-mainstream students.

"They feel they're part of a team, and they're doing all those things that the mainstream students would be just taking for granted," he said.

"It breaks down all sorts of barriers, and builds bridges. So it's very powerful."

Connecting on a different level

Partner athletes are quick to note they benefit from the unified program too.

"It's a great way to get involved and meet new people in your school that you usually wouldn't talk to because they aren't in your classes," said Grade 12 F.W. Johnson student Hailee Raffey.

One of the new friends she's made is non-verbal, but she's learned how he can communicate through his iPad and respond to yes or no questions.

"[Now] he and I are just best friends; we always have lunch together," she said.

But Raffey acknowledged part of the beauty of sports is that people can play and learn from each other, without even having to say a word.

"You can connect with them on a different level."

At Martin Collegiate, coach Jill Williams notices the difference unified sports has made in her school.

Teammates exchange high-fives with each other in the hallways, and on Wednesdays, when the unified teams play against other schools, fellow students pour in to the gym to watch, she said.

"When we have games, our stands are packed and kids are cheering. And it doesn't matter who scores, or wins, kids are cheering.

"They just want the kids to succeed."