Shaler launches unified bocce program

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, December 23, 2017 | 11:00 PM

Samantha Smyers, a 2010 Shaler graduate, can point to a number of programs that help make the district more inclusive for all students.

When approached last spring about helping bring another into the school, she was happy to oblige. Shaler is launching a unified indoor bocce program this year, which pairs students with learning disabilities and students without disabilities on the same teams.

“This program came about in the spring of last year,” Smyers said. “Our athletic director approached me and another teacher asking if we would want to help run a unified bocce program at Shaler. We sat in on a meeting, and the Shaler district was on board. We were having an athletic program that was able to have all-student participation.”

It's part of the Interscholastic Unified Sports program sponsored by Special Olympics in Pennsylvania. The group is working with 91 schools in 12 counties and sponsors indoor bocce, soccer and track and field.

Smyers was excited to be involved. She has seen students in the district participate in buddy programs and other kind of programs within the classroom.

“I have seen it mixed before,” Smyers said. “Shaler does a really good job at fostering an inclusive school environment from what I've seen. We've had buddies programs all through school where you work with students at all levels. They have the same thing in the high school. That nature has already been there and been inclusive. We've been able to get kids out to volunteer to help our students.”

For bocce, each team is made up of six to eight athletes. Each team will be split into partners, one student without disabilities will be paired with a student with learning disabilities. The schedule runs from December until February, culminating with the Special Olympics, which are held in March.

Shaler will compete against Moon, Fox Chapel and Mt. Lebanon. The Titans' athletes competing are Jessica Smith, Angelina Robertson, Zachary Eshelman and Nakeisha McCoy. Their partners are Cassie Steinmetz, Jimmy Burnick, Skyla Stortorea and Alyssa Interthal.

Unified bocce sent in representatives to help get the athletes ready. Smyers said they held their first practices this week.

“This past week it was just us, and the kids love it,” Smyers said. “They have picked up on it really well.”

Josh Rizzo is a freelance writer.

Tags: Shaler