Shouts echo through the Tappan Gymnasium as basketballs bounce off backboards and the hardwood floors. While players chat about their days and upcoming events, captains lead warm-ups with encouragement and uplifting talk.
Unified Basketball is a program that brings together athletes with and without disabilities on the same team for training, competition and fun. This year’s captains, senior John Carroll and BRIDGE participant Cesar Alejandro Ruiz, work hard to foster connections among players on the team.
Caroll said both he and Ruiz cheer players on during warm-ups, celebrate every bucket and make sure everyone gets time in the spotlight, valuing a fun environment over competition.
“Playing on Unified Basketball, compared to other sports teams that I’ve played on, is a very different experience because it’s not necessarily about winning the games; it’s about having the most fun while out there and about making sure that everybody has an opportunity to be the star of the team,” Carroll said.
Both captains said leading the team and being a part of the community also helped them come out of their own shells and comfort zones. Ruiz said that the team has been crucial to helping them and their teammates establish life skills through athletics.
“We have had a good season this year,” Ruiz said. “[I’ve learned] to not be as shy and be proud of myself.”
Caroll said the skills that players learned in Unified Basketball translate to their school and social lives outside of the team.
“I’ve seen people who I’ve seen in the hallways before joining the team gain so much more confidence. I’ve seen them be able to establish relationships with others easier and just excel in all aspects of life because of the team,” Carroll said.
Jocelyn Vendola, the science teacher and Teacher Leader in the ExCEL program, is in her third season of coaching Unified Basketball. She grew up playing unified sports for 15 years, and said she wanted to be involved with the program as soon as she heard about it. Vendola said that she and the other coaches chose captains who had been on the team for at least two seasons, could teach the group and would shine as leaders.
“They really understand what unified is all about,” Vendola said. “They’re excellent leaders. When the whole group is doing something, they see the one person that maybe is a little bit off to the side, and they pull them in every single time. They’re incredible.”
Vendola said this year’s captains excel in leadership by running drills, organizing players and providing a player’s perspective to the coaches.
“They’re the first ones, if somebody’s having a hard time, to go over and say, ‘Hey, I know you’re having a tough time, but you can’t swear like that,’” Vendola said. “I can literally ask them to do anything and, most of the time, they do it before we even have a chance to ask them.”
Vendola also said this year’s captains are also known for including players and creating a welcoming environment for the whole team.
“They just understand what unified is about,” Vendola said. “They have the most incredible relationships with all the players.”
Carroll said that he works to make connections between players and help them learn from the sport and team.
“It [being a captain] also means that when our teammates need us, we’re there to support them through anything, whether it be athletic or social or whatever,” Carroll said. “It means that you are someone that your team can count on in big moments and to help them better themselves in their play.”
Caroll said that representing Brookline feels like an honor to him and the rest of the team.
“I feel like going out there and being able to set an example of what a team should be,” Caroll said. “Seeing that translate to the court and our interactions with the other players on the other teams is something I’m really proud of.”
