At the beginning of Gorham’s varsity football season, Coach Hager told the team that he wanted to get them involved in volunteer work, so he was 100% on board with the idea of a unified flag football clinic on September 29. Plans were quickly made to start recruiting Special Olympic athletes. During the event, members of the football team treated the Special Olympic athletes to a huge breakfast and then everyone headed out to the field for warm ups, skills and drills, and three unified flag football games.

Unified sports bring together students who have intellectual disabilities or autism and students who do not have disabilities on the same playing field or court. They play on the same team, side-by-side, against other unified teams. The weather was incredible, the spirits were high, and the competition was fierce.

At the end of the event the Special Olympic athletes asked if they could come back the next day. Several of them also left the field chanting, “Let’s go Rams. Let’s go Rams” in support of one of their new favorite football teams. The football players also raved about the event and are hoping that this will now be something the team can participate in every year.

Special Olympics staff was incredibly impressed by the football boys commenting, “They were incredibly helpful and encouraging with the athletes and everyone seemed to come away feeling really good about the event. The athletes had so much fun and learned several new warm ups and skills that will be helpful to them in their competitions. Many new friendships were made and we cannot thank the team enough for having us. A great group of boys and a great group of athletes.”

The timing of the event was perfect because the Special Olympics flag football season is kicking off this month in Gorham at the Gorham Sports Center.