Real Sports

Special Olympics Beats Super Bowl, Hands Down

By Howard Rothman, 2-07-06

Coming such a short time after the super hype of Super Bowl XL, the scene at Arapahoe High School's Sitting Eagle Gymnasium the other night was particularly striking. There were no prima donna athletes, no self-important sideline analysts, no unfunny commercial spots, no over-produced entertainment spectaculars. Instead, there were old wooden bleachers crammed with cheering fans. And two squads with real heart — the Arapahoe Special Olympics basketball team and the South Suburban Stars — battling it out on the court. Who won the game? Who cares? This match-up between teams of special-needs high-schoolers in the Unified Sports Program of Special Olympics Colorado showed what true athletics, and true athletic fans, are really all about.

I've read about this league and heard about these teams before, but had never seen them in action. I went the other night because my daughter Melanie was scheduled to sing the national anthem, as she does before a slew of her school's games each season. But while I've sat through plenty of basketball and soccer and swimming and wrestling competitions here and at other schools over the years, I had never seen anything quite like this one.

And coming just days after the Super bowl, as I said, I was particularly impressed.

The Unified Sports Program is one of the most amazing things done by Special Olympics Colorado, which does a lot of amazing things. In this league, co-ed teams from several south Denver-area high schools and rec centers play a schedule of spirited contests every year between January and February and then compete in an area tournament. There are three Special Olympians on the floor at all times, accompanied by two partners without disabilities who facilitate play but do not shoot. Public address announcers introduce each player to loud applause before the game, and then broadcast the action throughout. A referee keeps things moving but rarely calls fouls or stops play except for substitutions. The audience — an enthusiastic crowd of parents, teachers and fellow students — wildly cheers on both teams with equal passion. And the kids, well, watching their faces after they sink a basket and high-five their teammates is truly better than seeing your favorite pro team win the big game.

The Unified program has been up and running in Colorado for 20 years. It began with a softball league in Boulder and now includes a variety of sports year-round. It is always in need of coaches, partners and other volunteers, and, of course, athletes who want to participate. If you'd like more information, contact Volunteer and Family Coordinator Mandi DeWitt.

At the minimum, check into the program and go out and watch one of the games. You'll never again look at the Super Bowl, or any other traditional sporting event, in quite the same way.

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