Jesus often referred to the kingdom of Heaven as a place where everyone will have a seat at the banquet. Unified Sports is a program here at Calvin that takes these teachings to heart in building the kingdom of God on campus, says ?. Unified Sports, a subset of the Special Olympics College Program, unites people with and without intellectual disabilities onto the same sports team. It is part of a larger national movement of inclusion through athletics.
Calvin held their first-ever unified flag football scrimmage on Friday, Oct. 24, and will be holding them each Friday until Nov. 21. Tatin Scott, a sophomore who played quarterback in a standout debut, mentioned that the program is “a fun way for all to engage with students with intellectual and physical disabilities.” He continued, explaining how faith shapes his view of inclusion, saying that “God made us in a unique way, and he made us all in his image.”
Kate Strater, Professor of Special Education at Calvin and Program Director for Life and Career Studies, explained that Calvin launched the program three years ago; it started through advocacy and leadership by students who were involved in Unified Sports in high school. The first unified sport offered at Calvin was basketball; the program has since added pickleball this past spring and flag football, which began this fall.
Last winter, Calvin competed at the Special Olympics Michigan (SOMI) State Basketball Finals and competed against many other colleges in Michigan. For flag football, coach Austin Morren is focusing on building the program within Calvin and then plans to reach out to schools next year to schedule games. Discussing the growth of the program, Strater said, “The first couple years, there were a lot of administrative tasks from the Calvin staff and faculty, but this year is the first year that it’s really being pushed forward by students across campus.” Unified Sports began through student advocacy — that sense of purpose still defines the program today.
Scott connected the program to Calvin’s mission of “living wholeheartedly,” a phrase that reflects living with courage, honesty and sincerity. Scott said, “We should live life to the fullest. … We only live once in this world, we only have one home. … don’t spend time dwelling on things in our past, but dwell on things in the present moment. Have fun during college — you won’t be able to go back to college [after you graduate], so make the most of it.” Indeed, the Unified Sports program is a valuable way in which Calvin can live out this mission. While Scott offers a student’s perspective on that mission, program coordinator Amy Guan brings a broader perspective, shaped by her passion for inclusion.
Growing up in China, Guan felt there was room for growth in the special education programs in her country. This led her to study special education in undergrad, while most students would typically pursue this area for a master’s degree. In discussing her passion for this work, she said, “I try my best to help students with disabilities — to help them [succeed] in society, and to [increase understanding among] the general public.” Her first experience with Unified Sports was last year during the pickleball season; which she explained helped her to better understand students with intellectual disabilities, rather than believing generalizations. “Before, if I hadn’t joined them, I wouldn’t have seen the [full picture].” She also spoke on the mission for Unified Sports, saying “the main reason to have Unified Sports is inclusion, to make friends, build relationships and change stereotypes through [participating in athletics].”
Unified Sports isn’t just about competing and winning; it’s about being a witness of Jesus through community where unity and love stand above all else. It is an opportunity to celebrate each other while giving everyone an opportunity to be a part of a team. Regardless of the outcome of any game, the true victory lies in the connections formed and the joy shared on the field.
