When the Old Rochester Regional School Committee approved a unified track team a few months ago that would allow athletes with special needs to compete alongside other athletes, Principal Michael Devoll said that the team could be the model for other Unified teams. He didn’t wait long to act on that, asking the school committee for permission to start a second unified basketball team at its May 22 meeting. 

“We just concluded a very successful unified track season,” Devoll said, adding that there were 22 students that participated, wrapping up the season with Sectionals on May 21. 

The track meet had comparatively fewer meets compared to a normal track team, and did not award places. Instead, atheletes focus on cheering each other on and achieving their best personal times. 

Devoll said he would like to launch unified basketball team with the same model. The team would have four to five games, which Devoll said would require coordination with the volleyball team to be able to use the indoor gym space. 

“I think we are going to have a large number of interested students because we already have a track team in the spring. We don’t have a baskeball program in the fall,” Devoll pointed out. 

The school committee approved the new team.