Recently, the Unified Sports Program has taken off in high schools around Kansas. Newton High School decided to jump on that opportunity by adding a Unified bowling team. This decision has given kids with disabilities an equal opportunity as their peers to participate in school activities.
Moving forward, coach Dennetta Denno said that she would like to grow the whole unified program. This not only allows athletes to get out of their comfort zone but it also allows them to make lifelong memories along the way.
“Hopefully, we can get more mentors that way and get more athletes,” Denno said. “I would like to expand the program and practice more, get better, and add more sports down the line as well.”
Although it is a KSHSAA requirement, having students as mentors makes a significant impact on the athlete’s experiences. Participating in this sport allows athletes to connect with other kids their age and gives them a chance to represent Newton High School. Senior mentor Taylor Rickard said his favorite part of the season was seeing the athletes smile and have fun while competing.
“Yes [it was beneficial to have students as mentors], I think it is a good opportunity to learn how to communicate with people and learn how to teach others how to do things,” Rickard said.
For most athletes having fun is the biggest component of the game. Having students as mentors helped the athletes grow to be the best version of themselves. It also helped them enjoy the sport they were competing in even if they were not performing the best.
“I was just really amazed at what the mentor and student-athlete impact had. They just meshed and our mentors were so helpful, kind, and patient,” Denno said. “Our athletes looked forward to seeing them every day and we had really fun times in the van and interesting car rides.”
Helping as a mentor is not for everyone and it takes someone with a lot of patience to make a positive impact. Junior Boston Outley said he loved volunteering his time to help give everyone a fair opportunity and he is looking forward to helping out again next year.
“I’ve learned that not everybody has a chance to do some stuff and I just like to help as much as I can,” Outley said.
Whether in intense competitions or just riding in the vans, the team had a great time and enjoyed each other’s company. Ending on a positive note makes everyone curious about what next year has in store for this group of athletes. Hopefully, this program will expand and have more involvement. This season came with its fair share of challenges but at the end of the day the athletes had a great time and that’s what matters the most.
“It was all about meeting the kids where they were and working on those skills, developing relationships, and having fun,” Denno said. “It was a great first season, I must say.”