Page 22 - Newsletter_Spring_2022

Aroostook’s Only Unified Basketball

Team to Compete in Orono

By Joe Cyr ’89 for the Bangor Daily News- Reprinted with permission

HOULTON, Maine — Aroostook’s first Unified
Basketball squad will see possibly its only action of the
season Monday afternoon when the Houlton Shires travel
to Orono.

Monday’s game marks the first official action for the newly
formed Houlton Shire Unified Basketball team.

Unified basketball’s popularity has risen in Maine in recent
years. Teams were allowed to begin playing regular-season
games on Jan. 21, but most waited until early February to
start what for many teams will be a schedule of six to eight
games through March 11. Teams may participate in multi- HOULTON, Maine — March 4, 2022 — Alumni Gymnasium
team, end-of-season festivals from March 14-22. erupts following the first successful basket by a Houlton
Unified Basketball player Friday during a special intrasquad
“Unified basketball gives our kids another opportunity to scrimmage at the high school. (Joseph Cyr | Houlton Pioneer
Times)
play,” Houlton Middle-High School Athletic Director Jon
Solomon said. “It has been growing steadily, first in the
Portland area and now in the Bangor area. It is just time The RSU 29 school board unanimously approved the
for The County to get involved.” addition of Unified Basketball on Feb. 7.

For now, the Houlton team is the only squad in Aroostook Members of the Houlton Shire squad are coached by Elliot
County, but Solomon said he has fielded questions from Mooers and Ellen Dyer.
“Unified basketball gives our Dyer is a special education teacher at the high school,

kids another opportunity to while Mooers is an education technician in the junior high.
Mooers has previous experience with unified basketball
play,” during his time with the Westbrook school district.

both Presque Isle and Caribou high schools, who have “To see the buzz of our special education students is
expressed interest in creating teams. incredible,” Solomon said. “They were so excited to come
in and pick up their uniforms. They are so looking forward
To prepare for that game, the team has been practicing and to doing this.”
held an intrasquad scrimmage Friday in front of the school,
as part of the high school’s winter carnival festivities.

Unified basketball features players with intellectual
disabilities (Unified athletes) alongside non-varsity
players (Unified partners) and uses rule modifications to
define player roles and prevent the Unified partners from
dominating the game.

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