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CCSD 89 Special Olympians, peer buddies celebrate inaugural soccer season

Athletes found new ways to bond with their classmates during the first season for the Community Consolidated School District 89 Special Olympics soccer team.

The CCSD 89 unified team had seven athletes this season. After six practices, the team concluded the season with a two-game tournament in Flossmoor earlier this month.Special Olympics players share high five

CCSD 89 added soccer in the fall and basketball in the winter after a successful Special Olympics track-and-field season during the 2016-17 school year. Track and field was the first Special Olympics team hosted by the district, and the season ended with three students qualifying for the state meet. District staff was inspired to add more sports, with more options for athletes.

While track and field was only open to Special Olympic athletes, the soccer team blends traditional Special Olympics with peer buddies. For coach Mike Casmer, watching the mix of students playing together left a memorable impression.

“The connections were awesome,” Casmer said. “The target of unified sports is to get people to recognize that we're all in this together to achieve a common goal.”

On October 8, the CCSD 89 team played in the 2017 Unified Soccer Tournament at Homewood-Flossmoor High School, where there was a spirit of both competition and camaraderie. During the second game, an opposing coach offered Casmer a suggestion on where to place Lexi, one of the CCSD 89 players. Lexi went on to score three goals.

“She was smiling and happy because she was put in a place to succeed,” Casmer said. “When you see that kind of success, it was a reminder that this really works.”

Casmer noted that these athletic competitions allow families to see their students in new ways.

“I’m sure some parents thought their son or daughter would never be on a soccer team,” he said. “Seeing it all come together, it was absolutely awesome and I think something we should continue for many years.”

Glen Crest Middle School teacher Danny Sheridan will coach the CCSD 89 Special Olympics basketball team this winter. Anyone interested in participating should contact Sheridan at dsheridan@ccsd89.org, or Paige Martino at pmartino@ccsd89.org.