The Toll Gate unified basketball team had a historic season this spring, as the Titans advanced all the way to the state championship where they would come up short against Tiverton.

Over the last decade unified sports have popularized throughout the country. Unified sports pairs athletes with developmental disabilities with student partners without developmental disabilities and provides each player with a varsity letter at the season’s end.

Toll Gate unified basketball coach Lonna Razza was excited to see her team’s development this past season both on and off the court.

“It was a great progression. You definitely saw a big difference in the kids, each and every week they would get a little bit better when they were out there. The kids that were the partners were a bunch of great kids with great sportsmanship. They would always help out the athletes, it was nice to see them all get along and play the game,” said Razza.

Chemistry was key to the Titans’ success, according to Razza, who saw it early as the Titans gelled from the first practice.

“From the first practice they all got along. The kids that played as partners were very helpful. They would be out there with the athletes, showing them how to shoot, they were kind of like mini coaches too. You would see them in the hallways high fiving each other and saying hi to each other, giving each other hugs, one of the partners was tying one of the athlete’s shoes during a game. It was really nice, it was a great group of kids that got along well on the court and off the court and they are still friendly now,” said Razza.

The Titans have already began planning for next spring. Razza expects the number of participants to remain strong and has already began seeing more and more partners get involved.

“I have kids that want to be partners and play next year. I wish I could take everybody but I can’t. This year was my first year doing it and I kind of recruited the partners because I wasn’t sure who would be interested and who wouldn’t so I recruited kids that I thought would want to do it. I got some girls from the soccer team, boys that didn’t play spring sports, it was pretty awesome,” said Razza.

Razza believes that unified sports have been a great addition in Rhode Island in recent years, as it promotes relationship building and self-esteem.

“It was one of the greatest things that the state of Rhode Island could have gotten involved in. Not just having Special Olympics but now having unified sports where the kids can represent their school. It’s a little bit different than special Olympics, they get to represent their school and wear their uniform and of course they’re all very proud to where their uniforms that say Toll Gate on the front of them,” said Razza. “It’s a very big deal and I think it’s a great thing for these kids. It’s great for these partners to come out and to get to know these kids in their everyday life, to get to know them on a different level than just kids at their school. They’re friends outside of the classroom. It builds relationships, they laugh, they build relationships, it’s really cool to see.”