Unified basketball bonds students with sports

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After a one-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, unified basketball returned to Hewlett High School for its second season.
Unified basketball was founded in 2008 and is an inclusive sports program that unites Special Olympics athletes and partners (people without intellectual disabilities).

According to specialolympics.org, 1.4 million people take part in unified sports globally. Some of the rules are: three students with intellectual disabilities and two partners are on the court at the same time, no shot clock but there are three-point shots.

The Hewlett unified team is coached by varsity basketball coach Bill Dubin, who has been coaching at the school for 30 years. Dubin is also a special education teacher at Hewlett High.

This year, the team finished with a 3-2 record in the regular season and advanced to the championship game after defeating East Rockaway 44-42 on June 8. The Bulldogs fell short in the championship game to New Hyde Park on June 10. There are currently five unified teams in the county which includes: Hewlett, Lawrence, New Hyde Park, East Rockaway and Carle Place. 

“The kids had a great time this season,” Dubin said. “They played hard, smart and together. That’s what it's all about.” Dubin added that this year’s roster consisted of 12 players and two graduate assistant coaches.

Hewlett-Woodmere Athletic Director David Viegas said the idea for a unified basketball team came about in 2018. “I was meeting with other athletic directors and they were discussing how great unified basketball is for their respective schools,” he said. “I realized that this is something where the kids can participate with no exclusions. So I went to our superintendent to discuss it.”

Dubin noted that the best part of coaching the unified team is watching the players improve on and off the court each day. “It’s great watching their whole demeanor and the way they handle themselves improve,” he said. “One new player we have this year was afraid to come into the gym before joining the team. Now, he’s running up and down the court like the rest of the kids do.”

Hewlett High School senior Josh Tepper is a team member. He tried out for the varsity basketball team in the past, but didn’t make it. Despite that, Tepper saw unified basketball as a great activity. “I love playing basketball and I saw this as a great opportunity to be able to help others,” he said. “This team is great for our community and it’s exciting to be a part of.”

Going forward, Dubin is hoping that more students and schools get involved with the unified team. “We certainly have more players than we had before in 2019 and we expect that to continue,” he said. “The school and community are behind us which I think is a win-win. I’m not sure why every school in the county doesn’t have a team.”