Humber College hosts Unified Basketball tournament to foster social inclusion

A unified basketball tournament where people with and without intellectual disabilities play together was held on Saturday, Dec. 2, at the North Campus gymnasium.

“When I’m watching a unified basketball game, I’m watching smiles, I’m watching camaraderie, I’m watching friendships develop – the focus is so different. You are watching basketball, but you also notice all those other little things that you may not get when the teams are so highly competitive,” North Campus Recreation Coordinator Jennifer O’Reilly says.

The tournament was held in collaboration with Special Olympics Ontario and followed the model of the Special Olympics Unified Sports.

That model encourages people with and without intellectual disabilities in team sports to build meaningful social engagement. Athletes of similar ages and skills are grouped and are equal contributors to the game.

O’Reilly says hosting unified tournaments is important for inclusivity in sports.

“It’s so important because everybody plays together, everybody’s contributions matter. It is meaningful competition on every shift, not just overall game. It’s a really inclusive sport,” she says.

Players playing at the Unified Basketball tournament. Photo credit: Humber Hawks / Kyle Gilmor

Program Developer for Athlete Leadership & Unified Initiatives with the Special Olympics Ontario Ryan Colpitts says it is an amazing opportunity for Special Olympic athletes to be paired up with varsity and athletic students.

He says this opportunity not only grows and develops the special athletes’ abilities on the court, but also builds friendships.

Playing unified sports is a great attribute to the athletes’ skill set and development as individuals, he says.

“Making friends is a key aspect of any Special Olympic athlete, being able to make friends on and off the court is huge. They feel like they belong on a team and they are made for something,” Colpitts says.

Players at the Unified Basketball tournament. Photo credit: Humber Hawks / Kyle Gilmor

Garnet Peters has been a Brampton Special Olympics coach for the past 16 years, and for him, this is the best example of what sport is supposed to be.

Peters says players in unified sports do not have any ego and engage in the sport purely out of their love for playing.

The coach says witnessing the athletes in action is the best satisfaction he could have.

“These guys think that they are at the NBA All-Star game, there is nothing better than that. That’s what keeps you coming back,” Peters says.