BY MORGAN GEYER
Staff Writer

Baldwin knows bocce as the kickoff event to start the summer games for Special Olympics. However, this year an indoor bocce tournament kicked off a new initiative for competitive unified programs in the region.

Students and athletes in Partners PE participated in the first ever unified bocce championship in March.

The tournament is part of an effort by the Pennsylvania Special Olympics to create inclusive educative and athletic programs that are accessible to students with a wide variety of disabilities, made possible through its Project UNIFY initiative.

“It was an awesome event. We all got to experience other schools’ programs and work alongside really great students,” junior Harrison Solenday said.

Students in Special Olympics volunteered their time to assist with the competition as teammates, referees and a number of other roles. Unlike the Special Olympics Games, in unified sports, disabled and non-disabled students compete together.

Teams included four athletes and four partners, for a total of eight students per team. There were seven bocce courts set up in the main gym so that multiple games could be played at once.

Baldwin went up against Carlynton, Elizabeth Forward, and South Allegheny in the tournament.

Baldwin had five out of the 16 teams total participating in the bocce championship. Each school had one team that won in its division, and Baldwin won overall.

“These competitions are a chance to bring students with various disabilities together to compete on as level a playing field as possible” Special Olympics Coordinator Tim Laughlin said.

According to Laughlin, the unified programs can open students’ eyes and provide athletes with competitive opportunities.

To prepare for the tournament, the Partners PE class spent time practicing for the tournament.

“We played a lot of bocce during gym class to prepare the athletes for the championships. It got students ready and excited to compete,” Special Olympics Club member and Partner’s PE participant Michael Bower said.

Bower volunteered alongside Solenday and junior Ashley Horne as referees for the tournament.

The tournament began with an opening ceremony, including the national anthem sung by senior Eleni Andrulonis. The winning athletes were awarded medals at the end of the tournament.

Transition Coordinator and Special Olympics Club Co-Sponsor Eric Jankoski said that the unified programs create a great balance of recreation and competition, making it a great experience for everyone involved.