Trinity High School has launched a new endeavor to encourage kindness and friendship among students. Bocce, an Italian bowling game, is bringing together Trinity students with different levels of special needs.
Trinity’s Director of Special Education, Mr. Kross, decided to form the team to foster inclusion and togetherness at school. Coached by Mrs. Giorgi and Coach Belleville, the team is working hard to make a difference in the Washington community.
Sponsored by Special Olympics Unified Sports, the team took off at the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year.
Students and coaches alike are seeing the good to come out of this new team.
Belleville says, “It’s so rewarding to see the team as a whole collaborate and be excited about a common goal. We really are seeing inclusion, through sport, at its finest!”
At the heart of the program is a focus on inclusion and building connections between peers. Playing on a team together allows for the forging of new bonds and friendships that transcend differences between peers.
Sophomore David Gill says, “Bocce is important to me because it helps me learn social skills that I lack. It is a different experience socially and interacting with kids with special needs improves these social skills.”
The team prioritizes having an uplifting environment and making sure that all members feel included and supported throughout the process.
“It’s a lot of fun getting to spend time with my friends,” says Sophomore Kody Kress.
The team has worked to prepare for the season with practices every Tuesday and Thursday in the high school’s auxiliary gymnasium. These practices consist of athletic drills and practice rounds of bocce.
They have three games remaining in the season on January 26, January 30 and February 6. The team hopes to be successful in these games and qualify for the playoffs.
