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01/28/2024 11:43 PMThe Valley Unified Sports basketball campaign is just beyond its midway point. But for the coaches and participants, it has already been a full season worth of memorable moments of triumph, joy, and companionship that none of the parties involved will ever forget.
The Valley squad currently has 21 kids in its Unified basketball program this season. Unified Sports is a year-round athletic program, with a vast array of sports, ranging from soccer, bowling, cornhole, basketball, flag football, and track and field. The team is open all year for athletes to join whenever they can.
Specifically for hoops, the season begins in mid-November and concludes in March. While there is not a conventional structure of a regular season and then playoffs, Valley takes part in several tournament-style events that are hosted by various schools around Connecticut. Schools rotate through at least four rounds of games, lasting roughly 15 minutes in length.
“We are a very welcoming group and love to have new faces join the team,” said Head Coach Katelyn Ely. “The goal is not to come out on top, but to build skills, foster positive life-long relationships, and of course, have fun. We play against schools all across the state. Mostly our games are against Shoreline schools, but usually once a season, we will take a trip to a school outside of our conference to participate in a tournament.”
Ely added that while the competitors want to strengthen their individual skills, they also want their opponents to walk away with a sense of pride and accomplishment after the final horn sounds, and promote inclusiveness. The latter objective often breeds something that is quite often missed in the back and forth of a contest with sportsmanship.
“This season, our team has identified two goals in which to strengthen. First, every student has set a personal skill goal, whether it be focused around dribbling, passing, or game strategy. Each of our players truly embodies what it means to be part of a cohesive team,” said Ely. “However, this can sometimes work against us, as they want everyone to feel a part of their success, including the opposing team. Often times, if a shot is missed, instead of attempting a rebound, they pass the ball to the opposing team. This year, our second goal is to work towards pushing through that uncomfortability of not wanting anyone to be left out and prioritize their team.”
These young hoopsters also get to intake the equally crucial socialization aspect of being a student-athlete when not on the court. Ely is exuberant when it comes to seeing the great interactions and palpable cohesion between peers.
“Out of the games, my goal is to see the athletes transfer the confidence they have during practice to their everyday life at school,” said Ely. “Having peers join Unified Sports has really opened up our athletes' social circles. It is amazing going into the hallway during the day and seeing all our players together as friends, not just teammates, and talking throughout the day. They have gained confidence to be themselves and just open up to people. Through the opportunities of this program, our students have found their voices, as well as the confidence to show their best selves to those around them.”
Teamwork is well evident, even in the preparation for in-game action. Athletes are assigned with partners to provide guidance on skill training, and it has truly been full speed ahead. It is essentially like being on autopilot from a coach’s perspective, though it is wildly fulfilling to see the organic connections.
“One of the most rewarding moments as a coach so far this season was watching my athletes feel confident enough to give each other pointers on how they can improve,” Ely said. “We started doing more one-on-one drills, where the athletes and partners are paired up. Once we got started, I just had to stand in the center of the court and give small pieces of feedback, because everyone was already helping each other out. Watching the team come together and work as a group has been a really rewarding experience.”
Simultaneously showing a great deal of respect and esteem for the opposing side, Ely gave her group a sound nod for utilizing their ball-stopping attributes. Another pivotal point this season came when they received an equipment boost from the community to help encourage the kids to shoot.
“A big victory for the team so far this year was when I saw the athletes putting their defense skills to use. They were a little timid and would politely give the ball back to the other team if they missed their shot. But I was beyond proud that they were putting their hands up and standing face-to-face against their opponent and using some of the defense drills we practice,” said Ely. “Another big moment for the team was we got our modified basketball hoop in just in time for our home tournament. Athletes that don’t always shoot the ball were running right up to the hoop and going for a shot. It was amazing watching the athletes shoot for a basket, when they would normally pass the ball off to one of their teammates to make the shot.”
The stat sheets, scoreboards, and standings are not germane to the game for Valley. To these Warriors and their coach, the main relevant factors are the instilled intangibles of diligence and confidence in each of them as they depart the court.
“I want each athlete to walk away with a sense of accomplishment and confidence,” said Ely. “They have worked really hard to improve their skills, gain confidence, and take risks. It doesn’t matter what tournaments we win, or how many games we play. If every athlete leaves saying they had a good time, felt confident, and want to return for the next sport, I will count the season as a huge win.”
Athletes on the team include Luke Baczewski, Allison Connell, Bella Frost, McCoy Gosman, Kaeden Harrell, Daeveon Harrell, Donna Loyola-Herrera, Aiden Meyer, Emily Nygard, Ainsley Strecker, Noah Walls; plus partners Kayleigh Cornett, Karlee Cutler, Katie DeMik, Cameron Donoghue, Ava Frost, Laura Gessner, Jalen Harrell, Camile Pagliuco, Anna Sheikowitz, and Kajsia Wright.