Special Olympics Unified Sports ...

[BillyMac]

After three, or four, emails, our assistant assignment commissioner is having trouble getting our local board members to volunteer for the CIAC Special Olympics Unified Sports Basketball Tournament, to be held in late February and early March on several dates at several sites.

Thinking that some of our local officials may not be familiar with Special Olympics Unified Sports, he asked me to write up something to persuade more of our local officials to volunteer.

Here’s what I came up with. I decided to share it with Forum members.

An Honor And A Privilege: Why I Officiate In The CIAC Special Olympics Unified Sports Basketball Tournament

Special Olympics Unified Sports is a fantastic program designed to break down barriers by bringing people with and without intellectual disabilities together on the same team. It’s built on the simple principle that playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding. The goal is to break down barriers, foster friendships, and create a truly inclusive environment through the power of sport.

My first encounter with people with intellectual disabilities (they were called “mentally retarded” back then) was in the late 1950s when I attended Overbrook Elementary School in East Haven. There was a classroom of students (I now know that most had Down syndrome) in an isolated far corner of the building with students that never attended recess, or lunch, with the rest of us. Except for opening and dismissal they were totally isolated from the other students. I asked my parents about these students and I was told that these students were not as smart as the rest of us and needed a special teacher and that I should never make fun of these students. We’ve come a long way since those days of total isolation.

Jump ahead to the mid-1970s. As a young teacher at DePaolo Middle School in Southington, and as one of two Student Council advisors, we were asked by the principal to bring some student volunteers to the Connecticut Special Olympics Summer Games at nearby Central Connecticut State University. Not having any experience with intellectually disabled students, I was hesitant to get involved, but ended up participating. We brought two carloads of student volunteers and all of us were assigned as One To One Volunteers. It was our job to see that our intellectually disabled student athlete got to their track events on time and ate lunch. I was exhausted by the end of the afternoon, but deeply moved with a great feeling of accomplishment. The next year we brought a bus load of student volunteers. This continued for over twenty-five years, often bringing as many as three bus loads of student volunteers. It was a wonderful experience for all.

In 2002 Board #X started sending volunteer officials to the CIAC Unified Special Olympics Basketball Tournament. I jumped on the band wagon right away and have volunteered every year since, often at multiple sites. I can certainly understand why some Board #X members would be leery of volunteering to officiate basketball games with intellectually disabled student athletes, but I assure you that it will be a purely positive experience, one of the most rewarding officiating experiences that you will ever have.

Teams, coached by their special education teachers, are made up of athletes with intellectual disabilities and partners without intellectual disabilities. The lineup usually consists of three athletes and two partners on the court at all times. Partners are not there to dominate the scoring. They are teammates who facilitate play, pass, and rebound, ensuring every athlete is a valued part of the game.

It’s more than just a game; it’s a social movement. For athletes it provides a chance to develop skills, gain confidence, and be part of a community. For partners it shifts perspectives and builds empathy, often leading to lifelong friendships that extend far beyond the court.

In a typical season, we deal with high pressure games and intense situations. Special Olympics Unified Sports reminds us why we started officiating in the first place, for the love of the game and the integrity of the sport. It’s a refreshing break from the win-at-all-costs culture. Don’t worry about perfection on every whistle. Our role is to ensure meaningful involvement. We are there to keep the game safe and fair, while allowing every athlete to succeed. It’s about managing the game’s flow more than just policing the rules. Game management matters more than technical precision.

If you’re wondering whether you’ll need special training, you won’t. If you can officiate an interscholastic basketball game, you can officiate a Special Olympics Unified Sports basketball game. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to care. Effort, patience, and a positive presence matter more than a textbook whistle. Coaches and event staff are incredibly supportive, and everyone understands the spirit of the day. The atmosphere is unlike a typical game. You’ll hear more encouragement than complaints, more cheers than criticism. Parents and coaches are grateful you’re there.

These events can only happen because officials volunteer their time. Your presence doesn’t just make a game possible; it makes an experience possible for these athletes. You’ll leave smiling. The handshakes, high-fives, and thank-yous you get at the end of the day stay with you a lot longer than any interscholastic game ever will.

Over the past sixty-five years I’ve evolved from a curious child to a hesitant volunteer, and finally to a dedicated Special Olympics advocate. I encourage all Board #X members with afternoon availability to volunteer for the CIAC Unified Special Olympics Basketball Tournament. Consider it to be both an honor and a privilege to be invited to participate. You will be warmly welcomed by players, coaches, teachers, parents, student volunteers, and administrators with a level of appreciation that is hard to describe. I can guarantee that if you volunteer once that you will be back over and over again for years to come.

You’ll walk into the gym as an official, and leave feeling like you were part of something much bigger than a basketball game. We talk a lot about giving back to the game. This is one of the purest ways we can do it. If you have a free afternoon, don't just think about it, sign up. You aren't just giving your time; you're gaining a perspective that stays with you long after the final whistle.