On A Positive Note: PIAA-sanctioned bocce brings together students with and without disabilities
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The popular Italian pastime of bocce is also a PIAA-sanctioned sport. Dozens of high schools in western Pennsylvania have teams.
They are also part of the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools program, which aims to make sports more inclusive for students with intellectual disabilities. The two newest teams in the region, Penn-Trafford and Derry Area high schools, faced off recently amid fanfare.
"That is the best part of the whole program," Derry Area Principal and bocce coach Lisa Dubich said. "Even during practices, our students are working with other students that they don't see throughout the day."
Students in the special education programs play on the same team as students in general education.
"They come together, they help each other and you would see it's helpful both ways, with the regular ed students and our special needs students, they all give what they can to each other," she said.
Parent Amanda Woy gets emotional when she talks about the positive impact it's had on her daughter, Kaitlyn.
"Them being mixed teaches them each of them so much that they could never learn in any other degree," Woy said.
"She loves the attention. She loves the fanfare. She loves the actual sport and playing it and learning it," she added.
It's the first high school sport Kaitlyn has played, and she says it's her favorite thing to do.
"It makes me feel super good. I am very happy," Kaitlyn said.