Thompson School District’s commitment to inclusive sports reached a new milestone this week as elementary students joined in on the excitement of Unified Sports Day. This event, held at Ray Patterson Field at Thompson Valley High School, welcomed students from 12 different elementary schools within the district for a day of softball, flag football, bocce ball, and other engaging activities. The occasion marked a significant expansion of the district’s Unified Sports program, which initially took root at the high school level and later expanded to middle schools.
The event was made possible through the efforts of Heidi Abrahamson, a dedicated health and physical education teacher at Loveland High School. Abrahamson, who spearheaded a unified basketball team at her school, assumed the role of Unified Coordinator to further champion inclusive sports within the district. Her enthusiasm for the initiative stems from personal experience; her daughter, who has Down syndrome, inspired her initial involvement with unified sports.
“I do a lot of things,” Abrahamson remarked with a laugh, reflecting on her various roles as a teacher, coach, and now coordinator. “But I wanted to honor this opportunity, so I said ‘heck yeah.’ This is where my passion is, these are my people.”
The creation of the Unified Coordinator position underscores the district’s commitment to fostering inclusivity through sports. Athletic Director Kevin Clark’s proposal to Superintendent Marc Schaffer was met with enthusiasm and led to the appointment of Abrahamson. This move reflects the district’s recognition of the growing interest and success of unified sports programs.
“We’ve done a good job of integrating unified sports into our high schools and middle schools, but we didn’t have anything at our elementary schools,” Clark explained. “So, this was what we thought would be a good way to start, to bring the community together.”
Superintendent Schaffer echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the profound impact of unified sports on students. “Most of all, the kids matter,” he emphasized, recalling his participation in a 50-yard dash during the event. “It provides opportunities for kids to engage, play sports, get activity, both for fun and competitively. And it brings a lot of joy.”
For parents like Renee Maestas, whose son Grayson, a second grader with autism, participated in the event, Unified Sports Day represented a rare and special opportunity. Grayson’s mother took time off work to ensure he could attend the event, recognizing its unique benefits for her son.
“He doesn’t get to put on flag football stuff and run around or play bocce ball,” Maestas explained. “And now he gets to come to this awesome football field and run around with his friends. It’s just really neat. I’m glad I got to share it with him.”
Unified Sports Day exemplifies the district’s dedication to promoting inclusivity and creating meaningful experiences for all students, regardless of ability, through the power of sports.