It hardly mattered that the skies opened up just as their big moment arrived. The 15 Guilford Unified Sports athletes beamed, undaunted, braving the torrents alongside their coaches, paraprofessionals, and parents. They had been anticipating this Oct. 20 event with Unified Head Coach Jaye Carlson. They had been dancing on the puddled sidelines as the boys’ varsity soccer team warmed up. After all, this Senior Night matchup vs. Wilbur Cross was not only a special evening for the 11 senior Grizzlies soccer players, but it was also the night the Unified Sports athletes got to take the field under the lights at Kavanaugh Stadium with the senior boys’ starters.

And so they proudly did, remaining side by side in matching pinnies for the national anthem. What proved to be more powerful than the driving rain and the show of inclusion within the GHS community was the accompanying shower of support from spectators, who raised $423 for the Unified Sports programs. To add to the success of the event, Carlson has since noted a surge in students registering to join Unified Sports athletes on Tuesdays after school as volunteer coaches. Such support is no fair weather phenomenon.