Students at the University of Missouri-Kansas City have long enjoyed intramural sports, but through a 2020 partnership with the University of Missouri System and the Special Olympics of Missouri, the camaraderie formed through intramurals now extends beyond campus.
Since the partnership, UMKC Campus Recreation has incorporated a Unified Sports League in its intramural programming. Unified Sports is a Special Olympics program that joins people with and without disabilities on the same team. Teammates are matched up based on age and ability to train and play together, forming friendships and understanding.
The UMKC Unified Sports teams include UMKC students and athletes from the KC Metro Area Special Olympics playing flag football, pickleball, basketball and bocce.
Casey Davison, UMKC campus recreation’s senior coordinator of recreational sports, helped found the UMKC teams.
“Our partnership with KC Metro Area Special Olympics and our Unified Sports programming exemplifies the power of inclusion, creating a space where people of all abilities can connect, compete and grow together,” Davison said. “This partnership not only enriches our campus but also strengthens ties with the KC community through meaningful engagement and collective impact.”
Though the teams have only been together a short time, they have already been successful with four appearances in National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) regional tournaments, one of which the basketball team left undefeated.
Cameron Reece, a senior in electrical and computer engineering, plays on the Unified basketball team. One of his favorite memories was traveling with the team to compete in the regional tournament in Columbia, Missouri.
“Unified Teams on campus is something dear to my heart,” Reece said. “I love basketball…I find it a lot of fun practicing together, coming up with plays, then getting to see how far we can go. It's something I look forward to.”
Brooke Tanner is a senior in nursing who plays on the flag football team. She traveled to Nebraska with the team, where they won a regional tournament.
“I have made amazing connections with the athletes and their families,” Tanner said. “We just have a blast together and it is so fun.”
Meg Ward is the Kansas City program director for Special Olympics Missouri. Ward said UMKC is one of the only universities in Missouri to incorporate Unified teams into its intramural programs.
“We see UMKC as an exceptional model for peers across the state,” Ward said. “Through the context of Unified intramurals, our SOMO Athletes are playing sports on a college campus, building new friendships and ultimately finding increased joy and confidence on and off the playing field.”
For students who may be interested in joining, Reece said all they have to do is come to a Unified Night.
“We are always looking for people to join us to play or just have a good time,” he said.
Unified Nights are Tuesday nights from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Swinney Center and Durwood Soccer Stadium, dependent on the season.
Story by: Strategic Marketing and Communications
Published: Jan 30, 2025
