To most people, playing sports is an everyday activity, but for some it is a special and rare chance. These people are those who have disabilities and can not participate in regular athletics. Schools can put together united events for these students to be able to play together. At Lewis Cass High School, the Champions Together club puts on multiple clinics, with multiple sports, throughout the school year. At each clinic, one to two students are partnered with a student from elementary, junior high, or high school. These partners stay together with the entire clinic and are responsible for creating a fun and energetic environment. The environment is important at these clinics as many kids can be nervous, but seeing an excited, friendly face to play with can definitely help.
The Champions Together club is holding its basketball clinic on Friday, March 6. At this clinic, all the kids participating will get to shoot baskets and practice different skills during the game.. After the club has their own time to play with the kids participating, the entire school will join together in the gym to watch the kids play a united basketball game. Not only is this clinic a basketball clinic, but some of the kids participating will be doing a cheer clinic as well. In this part of the clinic, the kids will learn the cheers the varsity team does as well as a dance. During the united game, these kids will get to cheer alongside the high school cheer team members. At half time of the game, these students will get to perform their dance as well.
Playing together is very important as it can make an amazing impact on the students and create special memories for them. Jessica Cozzello, a special education teacher at Lewis Cass, was asked a few questions about her experience with Champions Together. Cozzello was asked what Champions Together means to the students who participate. She responded by saying, “It means everything.” The students love interacting with their peers throughout the school and the club gives them the feeling of confidence and community. She also said it creates a great opportunity for the students to make new friends, as well as learn positive behavior from the other students. Cozzello was also asked what her students’ favorite clinics were to participate in. Jessica replied saying basketball was the students’ favorite. They all love the music and competition the game brings during the clinic. It also shows the students how important they are, as well as how much Lewis Cass cares for and loves them.
The sponsor of Champions Together as well as a math teacher at Lewis Cass, Denise Rush, was also asked several questions. The first question Rush was asked was what positive impacts Champions Together had on the school and students. Rush said the fact that it makes everyone acknowledge each other more, like giving high fives in the halls, and talking to each other rather than ignoring the students who are different. She was also asked what her favorite part of Champions Together is. Rush replied saying all the smiles she gets to see during the clinics is her favorite. She also loves the way everyone comes together for a positive and impactful cause. Rush also enjoys seeing kids who wear their club t-shirts out in the community proudly because they are proud to be part of the club. The last thing Rush mentioned was getting to watch the student members and leaders and how passionate they become about the experience they are helping to give others.
Student leader, Nick Park, also gave feedback on his perspective of Champions Together. Nick said the positive impacts it makes on our school are creating a great opportunity to experience fun activities with the students in special education. He said even more than that, the students who have intellectual disabilities at Lewis Cass, get to interact with other students and play together in fun sports. It gives all students a chance to work and play together, as well as helping to foster the understanding of kindness at Lewis Cass. Park said his favorite memory from Champions Together was participating in the track clinic with Jesse Sipin, two years ago. He said they were partnered with a student full of energy who would bring a smile to everyone’s face. It was a great experience for him to get to participate with his friend and make new ones.
All in all, Champions Together is an amazing club that does amazing things in schools. The club creates a positive environment and impacts all the students who participate. All members of the club get to make their own impact and difference in someone’s life. Champions Together is not just about playing sports, but it is about playing UNITED.
