After junior Marcus Weller scored a three-point shot during the final seconds of the Spartan Hoopfest, formerly known as the TLS basketball game, last year, his friends, peer mentors and classmates rushed onto the court cheering for him.
“All of his preparation that went into [the] game just paid off, the entire gym went wild, they were all cheering him on [and] it was just so amazing to see,” said Avery DiCocco, president of Friends and Company.
Students in the TLS program competed in the 32nd annual Spartan Hoopfest on April 4.
“I think there is something really special about a schoolwide community event that brings people with very different needs and abilities together in a way that seems so simple,” said Kathy French, instructional supervisor of the special education department.
On game day, the crowd erupted in cheers and applause as players stepped onto the court, ready to showcase the skills they’ve learned in P.E. class.
“Students in the TLS class … get a chance to shine and be cheered on, and get to have a high school experience that all the typical students get to have if they choose,” said Kate Mueller, parent of players Nico and Josie Mueller.
Josie Mueller may not enjoy being the center of attention during the basketball game, but she takes pleasure in her time on the sidelines, Kate Mueller said.
“She might not show it at the time, but I think she’s excited that the students are cheering [her team] on, and she’s cheering her friends on,” Kate Mueller said.
The game also involves staff members and members of Friends and Company, Spartan Buddies, and peer mentors.
Teachers and students planned for the game about three to four months in advance to coordinate logistics, such as ordering T-shirts and ensuring students practiced their skills in adaptive P.E. classes, special education teacher Kelly O’Kane said.
In preparation for the game, students in the TLS program created posters, merchandise, and sold buttons in order to show support for each other.
The game is a deeply meaningful experience for the players, whether they are on the sidelines or on the court, and most of the time there is rarely a dry eye in the stands of the parents, Kate Mueller said.
“I think you walk away finding something about [the game] that can inspire you to have a more inclusive mindset about how you look at all different sorts of people, their needs, their abilities and the differences that sometimes stand out can also be the things that unite us and bring us together,” French said.