UNIFIED BASKETBALL FINALS COMING TO LANCASTER HIGH SCHOOL THURSDAY

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

25 Teams and 1,500 Students To Participate

Buffalo, NY – The Special Olympics New York Unified Basketball finals will be held at Lancaster High School Thursday from approximately 1:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. More than 1,500 students from 25 high schools will participate.

Media and members of the public are encouraged to attend as follows:

Date:                          Thursday, May 30
Time:                          1:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Game Schedule:       See Below
Location:                   Lancaster High School
                                   1 Forton Drive
                                   Lancaster, NY

Unified Sports include participation by students with and without intellectual disabilities playing on the same team. Statewide, Special Olympics New York partners with more than 145 Unified Champion Schools (UCS) and 6,000 students who have committed to its three-component UCS model of Unified sports, inclusive youth leadership, and whole school engagement to create school and community climates of acceptance and inclusion.

“Unified is one of the fastest-growing sports movements in the world, thanks to students, coaches and school leaders who have embraced the concept both on and off the court,” said Special Olympics New York President & CEO Stacey Hengsterman. “In the Western Region, we partner with 25 schools and more than 1,500 students who participate in Unified basketball. We are thrilled with the program’s growth across New York and so thankful to the many school leaders, coaches, and students who are leading the movement and carrying the important message of acceptance and inclusion in their communities.”

Unified Champion Schools participating in Thursday’s finals are: Akron, Amherst Central, Cheektowaga Central, City Honors, Clarence, Frederick Law Olmstead, Eden, Frontier, Grand Island, Hamburg, Hutchinson Tech, Iroquios, Lake Shore, Lancaster, Lockport, Medina, Newfane, Niagara Falls, Pioneer, Salamanca, Springville Griffith, Starpoint, Sweet Home, Williamsville, West Seneca.

Below is the complete game schedule.

1:30 p.m.

Java Gym A Clarence vs Lancaster
Field House #1 A Hutch Tech vs Newfane
Field House #2 F Niagara Falls vs Lake Shore

3:45 p.m.

Java Gym D West Seneca vs Iroquois
Field House #1 B Starpoint vs Cheektowaga
Field House #2 B Akron vs Grand Island

5:00 p.m.

Java Gym C Springville vs Eden
Field House #1 E Pioneer vs Sweet Home
Field House #2 D Frontier vs Williamsville

6:45 p.m.

Java Gym F City Honors vs Amherst
Field House #1 C Medina vs Salamanca
Field House #2 G Olmsted vs Lockport

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About Special Olympics New York

Special Olympics New York is the largest state chapter in the country, serving more than 67,000 athletes across New York with year-round sports training, athletic competition, and health screenings. The organization also partners with nearly 150 schools statewide to offer unified sports. All Special Olympics New York programs are offered at no cost to athletes, their families or caregivers.  Learn more at www.specialolympicsNY.org and #SpecialOlympicsNY.

MEDIA CONTACT: Casey Vattimo, cvattimo@nyso.org, 518.992.4820

#PlayUnified #LiveUnified