Geoff Slack, a Lincoln Middle School math teacher and a coach of the Portland Middle School Unified Basketball Team provided the following write-up of the team’s inaugural season:

“This year was the inaugural season for the Portland Middle School Unified Basketball Team!  The team was composed of student athletes and partners from King, Lyman Moore and Lincoln Middle Schools.  We played games against Scarborough, Oxford Hills, Bonny Eagle and Auburn Middle Schools.

This was an excellent first season.  Students learned how to win and lose with class and how to have fun with their teammates!  

Coaches David Aguirre (Lyman Moore), Jack Monahan (King), Charlie Mull (Lyman Moore) and Geoff Slack (Lincoln) thoroughly enjoyed coaching our middle school students from across the district and of all abilities.  Coaches were especially impressed by the ease at which our athletes and partners worked together in practice and in games.

Special thanks to Phil Darasz and Jemal Murph, Athletic Directors, who helped to champion this new initiative.  Mr. Darasz secured a grant through the Special Olympics that helped fund our new uniforms and equipment for the team.

Coach Aguirre began and ended each practice with a circle where students got to take part in a common conversation with their teammates and coaches.  Students worked on fundamental skills as well as understanding how good it feels to compete and to be able to rely on teammates.”

Check out this video of the team.