Last winter, KHS created its first the Unified Basketball team due to the popular trend among other schools in the area. Mark Carney, a member of the Kennebunk Police Department and the resource officer here at KHS, was asked to coach the team. Carney approached the opportunity with an open mind, and “was all in to make this a great experience for everyone involved.”

This year, the team has won 4 games and lost only one. When asked what makes the team successful, Mallory Burchill, a senior and two year member of the team, said, “we all work together to have fun and play hard.” The purpose of the Unified sports is to promote social inclusion and develop friendships, and that is exactly what this team strives for at KHS. Coach Carney says it is enjoyable to coach in a “stress free environment where simply having fun and playing together is what it’s all about.”

Participation was anything but an issue this year for the Unified team. The roster size significantly increased from 19 students last year to 30 this year. Carney attributes this to “the students at KHS and their support of athletics.” Of course, with a large roster comes the issue of playing time. However, Unified basketball is focused on giving all players an equal opportunity to compete. Mallory says, “we have almost everyone making at least one basket per game.” This offers a unique and encouraging environment for those athletes who might not be comfortable competing in conventional varsity sports. While Unified Basketball offers a new and exciting chance to watch competitive athletics, the team and the efforts of the athletes have brought our school community together. Asked about her experience as a member of the team, Mallory added that the, “…most important thing [I have] learned from Unified basketball is that anyone can do anything they set their minds to, and the proof is in this amazing team.”

If you would like to see Unified Basketball in action, the team plays its final two games at home March 1st against York, and March 3rd against Deering. Both games will tip-off at 3:30pm.