Great roll!”
“Don’t miss this roll, coach! Lotta pressure!”
“That’s it! That’s how you do it!
Walk into any practice of the McGuffey Unified Bocce team and these are things that you are likely to hear. The team is likely to offer encouragement to you as well as some playful banter, just to keep things light.
In their second season, the team has gotten off to a 2-2 start and is a nice mix of returning veterans and brand-new players, all ranging from 9th to 12th grade. The team is coached by Steve Shilling, a public speaking teacher, and Susi Hamilton, a math teacher, each having the time of their lives.
“Starting this team last year, I didn’t know what to expect,” said Shilling, who has coached football, baseball, soccer and volleyball at the high school level. “But from day one and every day since, it has made my day. Quite simply, it’s the best thing that I have ever been a part of.”
For first-year coach Susi Hamilton, the experience has been much the same. “When the kids are smiling all the time, it’s contagious. I look forward to it every day, it makes me so happy to be a part of the program,” she said.
For those unfamiliar with Unified Bocce, it is one of many sports run under supervision by Special Olympics that are recognized by the PIAA and WPIAL as varsity sports. There are a complete regular season and playoffs, culminating in state title matches in Hershey.
A match consists of two games with 30-minute running clocks. Each game counts towards a team’s record.
One of the most intriguing things about it is that coaches can’t actually coach players during the games. “That’s unlike any other sport that I have been a part of. But while we are competing, it’s all about fun first and foremost,” Shilling said. “We can encourage our players, but we can’t tell them what to do, unless we call timeout. It’s unique for sure.”
A team consists of players deemed with special needs and their “partners,” regular education students who also play. The team practices twice a week and most often has a weekly game. Players receive varsity letters for their commitment and participation.
According to Special Olympics Pennsylvania, the state has over 500 schools participating in the Unified Sports Program that is “aimed at promoting social inclusion through intentionally planned and implemented activities affecting systems-wide change.
With sports as the foundation, the model of Unified Champion Schools offers a unique combination of activities that equip young people with tools and training to create sports, classroom and school climates of acceptance. These are school climates where students with disabilities feel welcome and are routinely included in, and feel a part of, all activities”
“We feel that change of perception when it comes to our players and inclusion,” Shilling said. “We had some pretty large crowds come to our matches last year, and it continues to grow and become more a part of the school community”
“I’ve seen some pretty amazing things in sports, but nothing as special as when these kids are competing together,” Shilling said. “I’ve had players say, ‘I never thought I’d ever be considered an athlete.’ I’ve also had others who’ve expressed an interest in becoming a special education teacher, so I know the program is doing all the right things.”
In their initial season, the Highlanders struggled to rack up wins. However, this year they are off to a great start and have hopes of winning their section and making the playoffs. “That’s the goal, but in the end, whether we do or not, we’re having a blast every single day,” Shilling said. “The laughter and team camaraderie that we have far outweighs any result that we could have.”
Junior Captain Ariana Condon also shared her experience. “Being part of the bocce team has given me the great feeling that I am part of a team. Growing up, I was always involved in sports, and I never thought I’d be able to be a part of something so positive like bocce.”
