{"id":4496,"date":"2020-05-08T14:55:13","date_gmt":"2020-05-08T18:55:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/?p=4496"},"modified":"2020-05-08T14:55:13","modified_gmt":"2020-05-08T18:55:13","slug":"unified-basketball-scores-with-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/?p=4496","title":{"rendered":"Unified Basketball Scores with Community"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Issue-4-Final-web_28.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4497\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Issue-4-Final-web_28-219x300.jpg?resize=219%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"219\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Issue-4-Final-web_28.jpg?resize=219%2C300&amp;ssl=1 219w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Issue-4-Final-web_28.jpg?resize=748%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 748w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Issue-4-Final-web_28.jpg?resize=768%2C1052&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Issue-4-Final-web_28.jpg?resize=1122%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1122w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Issue-4-Final-web_28.jpg?resize=1496%2C2048&amp;ssl=1 1496w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Issue-4-Final-web_28.jpg?resize=1140%2C1561&amp;ssl=1 1140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Issue-4-Final-web_28.jpg?resize=552%2C756&amp;ssl=1 552w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Issue-4-Final-web_28.jpg?w=1625&amp;ssl=1 1625w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 219px) 100vw, 219px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Issue-4-Final-web_29.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4498\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Issue-4-Final-web_29-219x300.jpg?resize=219%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"219\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Issue-4-Final-web_29.jpg?resize=219%2C300&amp;ssl=1 219w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Issue-4-Final-web_29.jpg?resize=748%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 748w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Issue-4-Final-web_29.jpg?resize=768%2C1052&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Issue-4-Final-web_29.jpg?resize=1122%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1122w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Issue-4-Final-web_29.jpg?resize=1496%2C2048&amp;ssl=1 1496w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Issue-4-Final-web_29.jpg?resize=1140%2C1561&amp;ssl=1 1140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Issue-4-Final-web_29.jpg?resize=552%2C756&amp;ssl=1 552w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Issue-4-Final-web_29.jpg?w=1625&amp;ssl=1 1625w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 219px) 100vw, 219px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p><strong>By Jenna Anderson<\/strong><br \/>\nSpectrum<br \/>\nWest Bloomfield HS<br \/>\n1st Place Division 1, News Writing<br \/>\nSports Feature Story<\/p>\n<p><b>JUDGING CRITERIA<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lead captures attention, arouses curiosity<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Emphasizes new element,fresh angle<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Colorful, lively presentation; effective form\/style<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reflects adequate research,sound interviewing techniques<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avoids summaries of published materials<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Effective use of facts\/quotes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Interesting; appeals to the emotions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Proper diction\/grammar<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p2\">Freshman Tanner Thornton dribbled down the court. Surrounded with pressure, Thornton took a chance and went up for a shot. He drained a three-pointer and danced to the cheers of the crowd.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">Thornton is a player, and self-proclaimed captain, of the WBHS Unified Basketball team. This league invites students of special education programs to play basketball for their school. There are seven schools in the Oakland Athletic Association (OAA) league: WBHS, Southfield A&amp;T, Royal Oak High School, Lake Orion High School, Clarkston High School, Groves High School and North Farmington High School.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">Unified Basketball actually began at Brighton High School in 2016 with coach Andy Doupe. Since then, the program has expanded to include flag football and bocce ball. Unified players have the opportunity to earn varsity letters and compete in state-wide competitions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">\u201cOur programs are created to promote respect and inclusion among all students at BHS,\u201d said Emilia St. Olge, special education teacher at BHS.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">Unified Sports were introduced to WBHS at a monthly meeting for OAA athletic directors. Athletic director Eric Pierce heard about the success of the programs in Brighton. Then, a representative from the Special Olympics told him about the available funding.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">\u201cWe were happy to get the ball rolling and get it here,\u201d Pierce said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">He reached out to special education and they answered the call. Teachers Jennifer Kozicki and Jed Jones were excited to get their students involved. They put a team together and started their six game season.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">\u201cThere\u2019s no chance you can leave the gym without a smile on your face,\u201d Jones said. \u201cThe whole environment has just been amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">Jones is also coach of the JV basketball team. By playing freshman games in the new auxiliary gym, the Unified team has time to play in between the JV and varsity games, giving them a crowd.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">\u201cIt fit in seamlessly,\u201d Pierce added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">The players can\u2019t get enough. Jones said they can get quite competitive.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">\u201cSometimes it makes me jealous,\u201d he laughed. \u201cI\u2019m thinking about bringing them to my JV basketball games. They want to compete. That\u2019s what fun about it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">\u201cWe go out and get pumped up,\u201d Thornton said. His favorite game was a close match against Royal Oak High. \u201cIt was one of my best games.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">While the players bring the heat, they also have support from general education students. The Lafata siblings, Vincent, Sammy and Lexi, are just a few of the volunteer players making a difference.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">\u201cThey don\u2019t get a grade for it. They\u2019re doing it because they want to do it,\u201d Kozicki said of the volunteers. \u201cThey work really well with them and make sure everyone has a chance to score.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">Junior Sammy Lafata joined the Link program this year. He said he enjoys playing with the same kids he sees in class.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">\u201cWhen they make a basket, it\u2019s fun watching them get excited,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">Senior Vincent Lafata has been a Link for three years and plans on becoming a special education teacher. Unified basketball is just another chance for him to interact with the students.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">\u201cThem looking up to me on the team means a lot,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">His favorite moment on the court was when senior Benjamin Musiol scored his first basket. He is not an especially active player, so this moment was huge.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">\u201cIt took him about four tries but he got it in,\u201d Lafata said. \u201cHe was freaking out.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">This is the first year of Unified basketball at WBHS, but they have tried bowling before. The kids enjoyed it, but they didn\u2019t get a chance to work together. Now, they get to play as a team in front of cheering fans.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">\u201cSeeing them trying to work together as a team is something else,\u201d Lafata added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">Another group that enjoys the games, just as much as the players, is their parents. For most of them, this is the first time their child has participated in a school sport.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">\u201cThis gives them a chance to come to the high school and go to their child\u2019s athletic event which isn\u2019t a normal thing for them,\u201d Kozicki said. \u201cIt\u2019s nice that the families get that high school experience as well.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">Unified basketball will end with a tournament at Troy High on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 10 a.m. In the future, Unified sports may be expanded at WBHS because it was such a success.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">\u201cIt\u2019s not very often that everybody leaves an event extremely happy,\u201d Pierce said. This is one of those events. It really shows the true nature of what sports should be.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4,67],"tags":[175,20],"class_list":["post-4496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-image","category-nw","category-sportsfeaturestory","tag-2019-20","tag-division1","post_format-post-format-image","entry","has-post-thumbnail"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"Joel Beeker","author_link":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/?author=9"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6K0n6-1aw","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4496","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4496"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4496\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4496"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4496"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4496"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}