Bald Eagle Area’s unified bocce team returns home as state champs in first season
Bald Eagle Area’s unified bocce team drove to Hershey on Wednesday for their first-ever state tournament. They drove back Thursday, behind fire trucks and with some team members choking back “happy tears,” as state champions.
The Eagles’ co-ed team, comprising four students with special needs and four without, were just hoping to make it out of 12-team pool play in the sport co-sponsored by the PIAA and Special Olympics. Instead, BEA beat out Columbia (from Lancaster County) 6-4 in Thursday morning’s championship game at the Giant Center — after trailing 4-0.
“I don’t know if ‘surprised’ is the right word, but it was just amazing,” BEA coach Erica Milliron said. “Bocce has become part of our school culture, and it’s improved our school culture. This whole program has been wonderful.”
Unified bocce, which started in the eastern and western parts of the state several years ago, just started to gain steam in central Pennsylvania over the past year. This is the inaugural season for BEA, State College and Bellefonte.
The winter sport allows students with and without special needs to participate in a competitive environment that promotes social connectivity, camaraderie and physical activity. Teams are made up of students with intellectual disabilities, known as “athletes,” and regular-ed students, known as “partners.”
And, now, Bald Eagle Area’s team will have its own state championship banner in the gym and its own trophy — given by the PIAA at the Giant Center — in the school’s display case.
“The students treat them like everyday students,” athletic director Doug Dyke said, referring to the athletes with disabilities, “but what’s really neat is to see those kids, like today, really carry the team. That’s what made it really special for me.”
About 100 teachers and students, many from other sports teams, greeted the bocce state champs when they arrived at the school Thursday afternoon. Throughout the day, some teachers played a livestream of the contest in class, while others updated the student body and chatter echoed through the hallways.
Bald Eagle Area actually started the season with two teams, Blue and Gold. The two met in the regional championship, with Gold advancing to states. The Gold team’s eight members include Chelsea Butterworth, Alyssa Packer, Nick Zink, Josh Zink, Fay Shaheen, Emily Gardner, Jordan Bonsell and Bridget Esenwine.
“We’ve had incredible support from the district, the community, students and staff,” Milliron said. “The unified movement is prominent both in society and the inclusion revolution through the Special Olympics ... and Bald Eagle has jumped right on board.”
Michael Sneff contributed to this report.
This story was originally published March 21, 2019 at 6:21 PM.