Lessons In Sportsmanship and Empathy Merge at STEAMM Academy @ Hartford

by Drs. John Roncone & Bernetta Harrell-Snell

On May 11, 2023, the second annual competitive basketball game between the Adaptive Sports Ohio organization and the seventh and eighth-grade students took place during the Health and Physical Education (PE) classes at the STEAMM Academy @ Hartford.

Adaptive Sports Ohio’s mission is to ultimately remove barriers so individuals with physical disabilities get an opportunity to play and utilize sports to elevate, empower, and persevere.

”It was an honor and privilege to again welcome Adaptive Sports Ohio (ASO) to STEAMM Academy @ Hartford,” stated Dr. John Roncone, PE and Health teacher at STEAMM Academy, “Brian Veverka, Warren Craig, and Casey Followay (ASO elite athletes) do a wonderful job with our PE and Health students. It’s very engaging, competitive, and fun-spirited! I have witnessed our students learning at a different level on this day and it’s always inspiring to see our youth learn by doing, and have fun, while also enhancing their own health and wellness.”

Roncone added that he feels it is important for our students to have new experiences that develop social awareness and empathy.

“Overcoming obstacles may be challenging, but they witnessed how others have overcome them,” he said.

Eighth grader, Arius Lucius, found his ability to empathize colliding with his competitive nature while fine-tuning his conduct as a sportsman.

He stated, ”I would love to do this again! Fun opportunity to do something different. I think it is important to provide sports to individuals who have a physical disability and makes us give them their credit--due to how challenging it was!”

Shyann Coleman, a 7th grader, said she learned first-hand how hard and challenging it is to play wheelchair basketball.

“I enjoyed today’s activity in PE class and I’m looking forward to doing it again next year,” she said.

Bryson Reiss, an eighth-grade student, praised his first experience participating in a wheelchair sport. He stated, ”Wheelchair basketball is so challenging, however, the competitiveness was awesome. I was able to see and witness the game of basketball in a different light. Casey and Warren were very caring and excellent teachers on the court while playing.”

Brian Veverka, Director of Programs, at Adaptive Sports Ohio believes his partnership with the Physical Education (PE) and Health classes at STEAMM Academy @ Hartford promotes deeper learning for students through playing wheelchair basketball using specially-designed sport wheelchairs.

“Our collaboration has allowed students a chance to interact with Warren and Casey (both have a physical disability and play in a variety of adaptive sports). There is a lot to learn from those two as role models, especially the lesson that just because they have a disability, doesn’t mean they can’t participate in sports” Veverka said. “We appreciate Dr. Roncone for giving us opportunities to teach his students about adaptive sports and the understanding that can be gained from it.”