Highland High School hosts unified sports tournament

by Chris Studor

The Unified Flag Football tournament, in which teams of typical students and special needs students from five area school districts take on each other in round-robin games, scored a touchdown with players and fans during its Sept. 8 debut at North Gateway Tire Field. 

Hosted by Highland High School, about 100 students participated in a morning of challenging 20-minute games, with the field divided in half, complete with unified cheerleaders, members of the Highland Marching Band and cheering fans in the bleachers.

The flag football tournament is part of the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools program aimed at promoting social inclusion through intentional planned and implemented activities affecting systems-wide change, explained Highland Athletic Director Jonathan Bailey.

“With sports as the foundation, the three-component model offers a unique combination of effective activities that equip young people with tools and training to create sports, classroom and school climates of acceptance,” he said. “These are school climates where students with disabilities feel welcome and are routinely included and feel a part of all activities, opportunities and functions.”  

The event was organized by special education teachers Holly Phillips, Dani Koval, Stephanie Phillips and Director of Pupil Services Deb Yorko. With the opening of the school year just weeks before, the educators hustled to make the first Highland hosted Unified flag football tournament a winning experience for all participants.

Participating schools included the Highland Hornets, Amherst Comets, Lorain Titans, Woodridge Bulldogs and Strongsville Mustangs. Each school district’s flag football team was comprised of traditional students and students with special needs, as well as a large cheerleading squad belting out cheers from the sidelines.

In the bleachers, members of the Highland Marching Band provided pep music and Highland students with a free period were permitted to watch and cheer on the teams as well.

A play-by-play announcer kept things moving as the five teams took on each other with games running from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., followed by the traditional lineup of players at the end of each game chanting “good game.”     

The flag football tournament concluded with a pizza lunch for the hardworking players and cheerleaders.

“Everyone just had so much fun,” said Marshall. “For the nontraditional students, this event gave them the opportunity to feel what it was like to engage in team sports, on an athletic field, with cheerleaders, band and cheering fans.”

Photo: There was plenty of spirit to cheer on the flag football team squads from five area school districts hosted by Highland High School. Photo by Chris Studor