Yankees pitcher, Jordan Montgomery, announced he will host a virtual meet and greet for 300 New York student-athletes with special needs, and their families on December 3, 2020 from 7:00 – 8:00 PM. The virtual event has been organized by Athletic Administrators from Section I, Section 8, and Section XI. The focus of the event is on Unified and Special Olympics programs; who strive to engage and motivate students in activities that encourage inclusivity, achievement, and lead to lifelong success.
“I admire the work that the Unified and Special Olympics programs do to provide access to sports for students with special needs,” said Montgomery. “I can’t imagine what it’s like for kids right now who aren’t able to play the sports they love. I hope I can remind them of their passion for sports and motivate them to stay active during this time.”
Montgomery will be interviewed by Kevin Devaney, Vice President of Digital Content at LocalLive Networks, and he will take selected questions from the students and families participating.
The New York State Public High School Athletic Association and Special Olympics New York offer Unified Sports to NYSPHSAA member schools. Project Unify is made up of three main components:
- Inclusive Sports: combines athletes (players with intellectual disabilities) and athletes (players without intellectual disabilities) to create athletic teams for training and competition.
- Youth Leadership & Advocacy: provides students with and without intellectual disabilities opportunities to take on leadership roles in promoting Project Unify activities in their schools and in their communities.
- Whole-School Engagement: provides opportunities for all students to participate in school-wide campaigns.
For more information on Unified Sports in New York, please visit www.nysphsaa.org/Sports/Unified-Sports.
For more information on the Special Olympics, please visit www.specialolympics.org.