Athletes from the Independent Living Skills (ILS) class gathered at the New Gym to compete in an intra-team basketball game on Friday during lunch. The event was hosted by Leadership, with the assistance of the varsity boys and girls basketball teams. The crowd was electric, the coaches were passionate, and the players shone.
ILS is a program for students who have developmental and intellectual disabilities to learn skills to prepare for independent living.
“This event is always exciting,” ILS teacher Christy Soto said. “I think it’s really great to bring our community together with our students and General Education population as well.”
“My kids love it because they get cheered, they don’t usually get cheers,” ILS teacher Susan Price said.
Alongside the ILS athletes on the court, athletes from M-A’s varsity boys and girls team assisted the players with rebounds and passes to ensure everyone was able to have possession of the ball.
“It’s fun being able to help people in the sport that I love,” junior Ethan Diep said. “I just really like helping them play basketball and have fun.”
Students and staff cheered on the ILS students as they played a tense game full of attacks on the rim and long two-pointers raining down on the court. With both squads on an equal playing field, the game went down to the wire as both teams were seemingly tied every minute of the game.
“[The other team] thinks [they] blew us out,” coach Juan Saravia said. “I doubt it. I think it was a tight game.”
Tyler Gil-Contreras, the head coach of the ILS team, was ecstatic with the outcome of the game, showing appreciation for students on both sides of the court. “I love these kids with everything that I have,” Gil-Contreras said. “I love coming to work every day and seeing a smile on these kids’ faces.”
This game was held in preparation for another tournament where M-A will play other ILS teams in the district. M-A’s team has won the title the last two years, and Gil-Contreras and the team are looking forward to a possible third win. “I hope they keep having great events,” Gil-Contreras said. “These kids already go through a lot, and if we can do anything to make them happy, I’m willing to do it.
