In a community where the Italian roots run deep, the Newport High School Special Olympics Unified Bocce Ball team is magnifico.
The Newport Unified bocce team, which paired the school’s Special Olympians with members of the Ninth Region Champion Wildcat boys’ varsity basketball team, won three of the four matches at the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools event at Simon Kenton High School in Independence last month.
New to bocce, which was popularized in Italy and is played regularly at Pompilio’s restaurant in Newport, each Newport team member added their own special nuances that completed their teammates, said Newport Bocce Coach Vickie Chamberlain.
“Our students enjoyed the opportunity to learn the game of bocce,” said Coach Chamberlain. “They mastered the rules and began to work as a team very quickly. The Newport Bocce team is an inclusive, competitive team eagerly looking forward to future bocce competitions.”
Newport competed against teams from Simon Kenton and Scott high schools. Taking first place were the Wildcat teams of the following basketball players and Special Olympians:
· Deshaun Jackson and Kobe Vorhees.
· Noah Silverton and Enrique Agustin.
· Taylen Kinney and Kayden Lynn.
The team of James Turner and Leland Garrison finished third.
“I am thrilled with the achievements of our Bocce Team and look forward to expanding Unified Sports to all students seeking new adventures,” said Newport Independent Schools Superintendent Tony Watts. “Bocce is the perfect sport for inclusion, bringing people together, and for forming relationships through competitive spirit.”
Unified Sports is a Special Olympics program that combines approximately equal number of Special Olympics athletes with athletes without intellectual disabilities (partners) on sports teams for training and competition. Along with bocce, Unified Sports offer team competitions in bowling, golf, cheerleading and track & field.
Newport Independent Schools