The Dru Joyce Unified Sports Experience highlights inclusion in sports with over 700 attendees.
CLEVELAND — Hundreds of Special Olympics athletes, unified partners, volunteers, and community members from 24 area schools gathered Friday for the second annual Dru Joyce Unified Sports Experience, showcasing what inclusion in sports truly looks like.
"I cried twice today already," said Kristi Peters, director of Unified Champion Schools for Special Olympics Ohio, as she looked around the transformed I-X Center. "If you look around and see all of the joy on everyone else's face, it's infectious."
Basketball for everyone
For Dru Joyce, head boys basketball coach at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School and executive director of the Northeast Ohio Basketball Association, this partnership represents the true spirit of the sport.
"When the opportunity was given to me, I jumped at it because basketball is played by everyone," Joyce explained. "It was great to be able to help these young people out."
The Dru Joyce Classic has grown into one of the region's premier basketball tournaments, featuring teams from 13 states, Canada, and Belize. But this special event kicking off the weekend focuses on creating opportunities for athletes of all abilities.
"I want them to understand that there's so much that you can do when you open yourself up," Joyce said. "This is an event, not a basketball tournament. We want people to come out and enjoy themselves and recognize all that we have to offer."
Building relationships beyond the court
For the students involved, the impact extends well beyond game day.
Nick Rogers, a 17-year-old senior and president of Elyria High School's unified team, sees the difference in everyday school life.
"Just walking through school every day, these kids are always like, 'Hey Nick, what's up?' And it's always just great having those conversations with them," Rogers shared. "I leave with a smile every day on my face, and getting to see them leave with a smile on their face makes it all worth it."
Eighth-grader Emma Tramonte from Highland Middle School learned valuable lessons in her first year with unified sports.
"Everyone enjoys sports, and it can really bring people together," she says. "Everyone can be kind to one another."
A community effort
The event featured more than just basketball. Partners including the Cleveland Division of Police, Cleveland State University, Cleveland Cavaliers dance team and cheerleaders, and corporate sponsors like Sheetz all came together to support the celebration.
"This is what happens when we bring everybody together," Peters explained. "It just grows bigger and larger and more impactful every single year."
For students like Devonna from John Adams College and Career Academy in Cleveland, the day was unforgettable.
"I saw all my friends. It was just fun," she said. "I just want to come back."
Everyone Wins
At its core, the Dru Joyce Unified Sports Experience demonstrates that inclusion benefits everyone involved.
"We're looking at what people are capable of and showcasing the talent, the skills, the uniqueness, the challenges of everyone, and letting everyone know what we can do when we come together," Peters said.
The Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools program intentionally promotes meaningful social inclusion by bringing together students with and without intellectual disabilities through sports, whole school engagements, and leadership teams.
As Peters perfectly summarized the day's message, "Everybody has a seat at the table here. All abilities. Anybody's welcome here. Everyone wins."
To learn more about the Dru Joyce Classic, click HERE.
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