Wednesday, March 1st began as an ordinary day for the students at Brighton High School; but it was soon transformed as Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Boston Public Schools (BPS) Superintendent Mary Skipper, Special Olympics Massachusetts President & CEO Mary Beth McMahon, news stations, guest speakers, and student athletes took to the gymnasium for the announcement of a new partnership between Special Olympic Massachusetts and BPS. Upon first walking into the gym, the sound of power drills and metal clashing echoed as locker room construction was underway. This was shortly drowned out by a wave of cheering as students…

By: Mike Kelley There is a saying that if something in the world comes to you, you often have that choice during the process. The option is either to take it and run with it or just do it for one time and see if it opens doors to other possibilities. When it comes to the “Play Unified Podcast”, Michael Kelley, Charles Hirsch, Erin Fish, Lumene Montissol, and Ali Phaneuf have had a passion for it in the last four years. Today, they celebrate their 50th episode together and got a chance to reflect on their experience together and…

Written by: Ali Phaneuf With both a passion for soccer and the dream of becoming a sports broadcaster, Radley Theolien went into MLS All-Star week as not only an athlete representing the New England Revolution Unified Team, but as a man-on-the-ground reporter.   After waking up at 3:00 AM on Monday, August 8th to catch the 5:45 AM flight to Minneapolis, Radley had just 30 minutes upon arrival to drop off his suitcase, change, and be on the road to the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota. He joined a myriad of reporters at the 2022 MLS All-Star Press Conference,…

Written By: Ali Phaneuf On Monday, August 8th, one Special Olympics MA athlete and Unified partner from the New England Revolution Unified Team will fly to Minnesota to compete in the Special Olympics Unified All-Star Game, presented by MLS WORKS, ESPN and Coca-Cola.  Who are the two players that will be representing Special Olympics Massachusetts? Returning NE Revs Unified Team athlete, Radley Theolien,  and first-time NE Revs Unified partner, Ian Miller. We met up with the two all-stars, so you can get to know them a little better.  Meet Radley  Age: 21 Hometown: Dorchester Position: Forward Radley is a…

Team Massachusetts walked away from the 2022 USA Games in Orlando, Fl. with a total of 29 medals. Here’s how they break down, by sport. Bocce Joel Goodrow: Came in 4th for singles bocce on 6/7. Carolyn Wojcik: Took home the gold in singles bocce on 6/7. Joel and Carolyn took home the silver medal for doubles bocce on 6/9. Bowling Kevin Auger: Took home the gold in singles bowling on 6/7. Chris Charest: Took home the silver in singles bowling on 6/7. Katie Meunier: Took home the silver in singles bowling on 6/7. Jenna Thomas: Took home the gold in singles bowling on 6/7. Jenna Thomas & Katie…

Author: Ali Phaneuf You’ll never guess how athletes like Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Steve McLendon, Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman, and English professional soccer player Rio Ferdinand perfected their footwork. When they weren’t training with their teams, you might have been able to find them practicing their dance skills. Why? Here are the top health benefits for athletes that practice dance: Improve coordination Improve balance Improve memory Improve cardiovascular health Improve flexibility And just like these professional athletes improved their minds and bodies through dance, so can our Special Olympics athletes. In fact, just four years ago Amanda Santos saw…

Author: Quinn Roddy On Thursday, October 14th, Norwood Public Schools organized a district-wide opening ceremony and inclusive walk to demonstrate their participation in Special Olympics MA’s Unified Champion Schools program. The Norwood school district recently became a Unified Partner with Special Olympics MA and they kicked off the new school year in style with an opening ceremony that included five elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. While the students and faculty were the main participants in the ceremonies, the Norwood Police and Fire Department played an important role in making sure the torch got from school…

Author: Ali Phaneuf After a one-year hiatus amid the COVID-19 Pandemic, the New England Revolution Unified team is excited to be stepping back on the field this Saturday. But for one athlete in particular, this year is still proving to be slightly unconventional. Jimmy Keith has played for the Revs Unified team for six years, and this year is like no other for the seasoned athlete. On Saturday, September 18th the Revs Unified team will play against the Andover Stars Unified team at Gillette Stadium. And for Jimmy, this means playing against a team that is coached by his…

The Play Unified Podcast is back. The show features co-hosts, Mike Kelley and Charles Hirsch with assistance provided by Amanda Robson. New this year, Special Olympics athlete, Lumene “Lightning” Montissol brings us the Lightning Round. Join us every other week as we discuss Special Olympics sports, our regional professional sports teams, including the Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics, Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots and the New England Revolution, along with pop culture and news of the moment. Each episode will feature a guest who will share a bit about themselves and dive into one of the most important moments…

Unified sports is a program that allows students with disabilities to get involved in sports as well as interact with students who do not have a disability. Unified Sports in schools, high schools, middle schools, or elementary schools is the kind of program that can make a student with a disability feel included, spread awareness, and help change the life of any athlete that participates on the program. In 2016, my alma mater, Auburn High School, established their Unified Sports program to help promote inclusion and respect for their students who have an intellectual or physical disability. The program…