The excitement was palpable on Wednesday night as the Wenatchee Panther Unified Basketball Team took to the court for their first home game of the season. The crowd roared as the players were introduced and raced onto the court as the spirited sounds of the Golden Apple pep band filled the gym. 

The seven-person co-ed team is made up of students with developmental disabilities (Unified Student-Athlete) with students without developmental disabilities (Unified Student Partners) to train, compete, and represent their school. Unified Sports impacts all kinds of students and helps promote physical activity, teamwork, sportsmanship, and social inclusion. Wenatchee unified teams compete regionally with Eastmont, Ephrata, Moses Lake, Othello, and Quincy. In addition to basketball, Wenatchee offers Unified Soccer in the spring. 

There is so much talent and skill out on the court. It's awesome to see the rapport among teammates and students coming out of their shells. The game's pace slows and everyone waits with a smile as an athlete waives to the crowd while he dribbles toward the basket. Partners hold hands with their athletes, give them verbal directions and encourage them to keep shooting the ball. So, maybe here’s some ‘traveling’ here and there and the occasional double-dribble, but it all looks great and gets the audience on their feet and cheering— and that’s what it’s all about.