USU's New Unified Sports League Doing More Than Just Playing Basketball

Utah State Today regularly highlights work created by the talented student journalists at Utah State University. The following story was published in The Utah Statesman prior to its inclusion in Utah State Today.

LOGAN — Special Olympics Unified Sports has come to Utah State University with one goal in mind: to create friendships and understanding by playing and training together. The unique basketball league started this semester and partners USU students with people who have intellectual disabilities.

“This creates lifelong relationships and allows partners and athletes to interact with folks that they may not get to interact with on an everyday basis,” said Bailey Adams, the coordinator of competitive sports for USU Campus Recreation. “That creates friendship and community.”

Bailey Adams first participated in a unified sports league during his undergrad. When he came to Utah State, he knew he wanted to start the league as soon as he could.

Campus Rec partners with Special Olympics Utah to find athletes. USU students can sign up for flag football in the fall or basketball in the spring. Employees, students and athletes agree that the experience benefits everyone participating.

“We just don’t get to interact with folks from Special Olympics on an everyday basis, and they’re some pretty cool folks,” Bailey Adams said. “There is never a lack of positive attitude or smiles when you’re participating.”

“I like being able to meet new friends and people,” athlete Zak Adams said. “Just stay out of trouble and come hang out with us.”

Quentin Faamoe has participated in Special Olympics since he was 4 years old. His mother, Rochelle Myers, believes Unified Sports provides an opportunity for Quentin to feel like any other 25-year-old.

“It just makes them feel like they’re around peers their own age,” Myers said, “that they’re not looked at differently, that they have some inclusion.”

Faamoe says he likes being able to hang out with his friends.

“It makes me pretty proud when I make a basket,” Faamoe said. “I like being a part of the Utah State Aggies basketball team.”

Myers expressed how important the league is for both students and athletes.

“I think it’s important for Utah State students to understand that there are different people in this world,” she said. “What a difference they can make by just partnering up with them and being their friend.”

The games are fun for everyone, but parents hope the friendships made will last outside the regular season.

“For Quentin to have somebody make him feel important, I think it’s really, really, really helpful,” Myers said. “I’ve just been so impressed with Utah State students and how they treat these kids.”

Myers hopes Unified Sports will help students want to bring the Best Buddies program back.

Best Buddies is a worldwide nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In 2015, Best Buddies International named USU’s Best Buddies program the largest college chapter in the world.

“There’s not a lot of places for these kids to find friends when they don’t go to the university, and they feel it’s hard to transition,” Myers said. “Quentin had a best buddy named Skyler here at Utah State. They still keep in contact, and I mean, they both learned from it, and they both developed a true love brotherhood for each other.”

Wendy Smith, the mother of athlete Nicole Carroll, said she’s grateful for Unified Sports since Best Buddies fizzled out.

“They just want to fit in,” she said. “And that’s why the program was one of the best things. I mean, it started and then it crashed. And I know that Nicole was just devastated because of that.”

Today, Smith can’t get a returned text message from her daughter’s buddy.

“Hopefully, some of this Unified Sports will bring Best Buddies back,” Myers said. “Where the Utah State students will be like, ‘Oh, I want to do this on a larger scale,’ and have a best buddy and see these kids all year round rather than just an individual sport.”

Kayla Irlbeck, the graduate assistant of competitive sports for Campus Rec, looks forward to the games each week.

“This is genuinely the best part of my week, every week. Just getting to hang out with athletes, getting to know them by their names, and seeing them make those connections with other kids,” she said. “Just getting the opportunity to grow and play sports in a different atmosphere.

Dawson Blackburn is a student at USU who played flag football with the athletes. He signed up for basketball based on the experience he had in the fall.

“It’s just fun to work with the athletes. Just create an atmosphere where everyone can have fun, where everyone can try their best,” he said. “At the end of the day, you hope to go home with a win, but that’s really not what it’s all about. Just being there with the athletes and involving everyone is super rewarding.”

Some students were even invited by the athletes to play with them again.

“The athletes love it. This is something that they look forward to every week. They love those moments where they just feel part of a community, and then they’re able to make new friendships that last,” Irlbeck said. “We have partners here from last season, and they’ll comeback and the athlete gives them hugs because they remember them. And they’ve just made those friendships that they’re never going to forget.”

Zane Adams, Zak’s twin brother, said because he has ADHD and autism, he can help other athletes because he knows how they feel.

“We took state last year at another school. It felt good because we beat a team 10-40,” he said. “Just helping people out and coaching them along the way feels good. It will be worth your time cause there’s a lot of good people, and people that are shy can come and make friends. It can be a group that understands you.”

Bailey Adams hopes more students will come and enjoy it as the others have.

“We’ve struggled to increase the number of partners. We always have a ton of interest, but the follow through — actually coming to assessment day or coming to the games — is kind of hit or miss,” he said. “It’s super important because it creates a more inclusive environment both oncampus and outside of campus. This can translate to your everyday life. We’re just trying to get the word out as best we can.”

Irlbeck has loved her experience working with the athletes and considers anyone participating lucky to be there.

“Unified Sports is one of the most rewarding things you can do as a college student. It’s a time to just go have fun and play sports,” Irlbeck said. “Connecting with these athletes is something that just changes your view. It’s not something that every college kid gets to experience, but it’s something that they’re lucky to if they do.”

Games are each Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Aggie Recreation Center. Students who want to participate can contact Bailey Adams at bailey.daniel.adams@usu.edu.