Concord Middle School’s Unified Bocce team wrapped up its first season with a jamboree at Ashland Middle School on Wednesday, Nov. 4. (Photo Courtesy Concord Public Schools)
CONCORD — For Concord Middle School’s newest Unified Sports team, the season’s highlight wasn’t the wins, but the friendships formed on the bocce court and carried into the classroom.
Concord Middle School introduced Unified Bocce this fall with 23 students (across grades 6-8) participating. It’s another opportunity for students with disabilities and their peers without disabilities to play a sport together and represent their school with pride.
Students practiced on several Tuesdays throughout the fall before attending their first jamboree at Ashland Middle School on Wednesday, Nov. 4.
Eighteen CMS students participated in the jamboree, splitting into three teams of six. Each team played three matches against teams from other schools, and CMS won most of its matches. Every student contributed throughout the event.
“All of our athletes and partners contributed during the jamboree, and it was great to see everyone on our team play a key role in many matches,” said head coach Chris Ryan. “The highlight of the experience was seeing the relationships our Unified athletes built with their peers during the season.”
The new program emerged from the school’s interest in expanding Unified Sports. CMS already has Unified Basketball in the fall, and staff welcomed the opportunity to add bocce as another extracurricular activity.
“Our goal is to create more opportunities for students with disabilities and their peers without disabilities to connect in an extracurricular setting,” said Concord Middle School Special Education Administrator Tory Sulser. “We hope those connections carry over into the school day and strengthen students’ sense of belonging.”
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Concord Middle School’s Unified Bocce team, with coach Christopher Ryan, center, participated in a jamboree at Ashland Middle School on Wednesday, Nov. 4. (Photo Courtesy Concord Public Schools)
Concord Middle School Unified Bocce team athletes are all smiles at the jamboree at Ashland Middle School on Wednesday, Nov. 4. (Photo Courtesy Concord Public Schools)