Unified Sports Gains Momentum In Dynamic Lincoln-Sudbury Athletics Program 

Dan Lee took on the Director of Athletics role at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School (L-S)  in the summer of 2023, just as the district was welcoming a new Superintendent, Andrew Stephens. With a leadership transition underway, Lee wouldn’t be criticized for easing into the role and waiting to get a feel for the direction a new Superintendent would soon set. But Lee is an alum of L-S himself, so he knew the L-S community well, and he saw something that had to happen. Like he did in his prior role in Needham, Lee set out to add a Unified Sports offering to the L-S athletic program.

“I was surprised they didn’t already have it at L-S, so it was already on my list to do.”

Unified Sports is a program operated by the Special Olympics. They describe it as a “program that empowers individuals with and without intellectual disabilities to engage through the power of sports.” At L-S, Unified Sports is run in conjunction with the Special Olympics and the MIAA. The mission is inclusion, which Lee noted aligned nicely with Superintendent Andrew Stephens’ goal to “cultivate community” upon his arrival at L-S. 

Lee got to work quickly, starting summer conversations with Stephens and key L-S staff. Girls varsity basketball coach, Howie Landau, was an early advocate and supporter for the addition of a Unified Sports program. 

“Usually you start with track and field, but I talked with Howie and he said he would want to coach Unified Basketball, so we started with basketball, which is in the fall.”

Those conversations happened in August of 2023, leaving Lee precious little time to launch a new program, all while taking the reins of the existing programs. But he soon found more support from the L-S community. Conversations with Richard Whitehead, Director of Student Services, and Mary Ann Grady, a teacher in the REACH program at L-S, netted him enthusiastic support. The Lincoln-Sudbury Special Education Parent Advisory Committee was immediately supportive. And Grady quickly joined Howie Landau as a coach for the team. 

Once Lee validated the appetite for such a program, it was time to sort out the logistics. His conversations with a representative from the Special Olympics netted him a small grant. With seed money in hand, he went to Stephens and told him “if you give me the green light, I can get this done.” 

Lee got that green light, but what happened next may well have exceeded everyone’s expectations for the then-nascent Unified Sports program. Lee, Landau and Grady had to recruit a team and had little time to do it. But they quickly got the numbers they needed. As Lee recounts: “I was very happy with how it came together. So much of the credit goes to Howie (Landau) and Mary Ann (Grady).”

The L-S Unified Basketball team would practice or play two to three times per week, and the season consisted of 4 games total; two home and two away. The season concludes with a jamboree. The first game was away at Acton-Boxborough, which Lee felt was a good experience for the team to get a feel for the in-game experience. The second game was a home game at L-S. Months after the conclusion of the season, Lee’s voice still exudes pride in, and gratitude for, how the L-S community turned out to support the team. 

Lee promoted the first home game within the school to encourage athletes and students to attend. Superintendent Andrew Stephens was the guest referee. And the field hockey and girls volleyball teams turned out in force. Lee concluded: 

“The first home game was really unbelievable. It was really one of the best unified games that I’ve been a part of. The vibe in the gym, the positive support.”

A representative from the Special Olympics was in attendance, and relayed similar sentiment to Lee. Once people had a chance to see a game, interest grew, and Lee was fielding messages from more members of the community who wanted to get involved. 

While Unified Basketball came together quickly, the leaders were careful to roll it out for the long-haul. Lee repeatedly emphasized that he wanted Unified Sports to become a sustainable component of the overall athletic program at L-S. “We want to make sure we put in the infrastructure for future years, to make this an established program. We want this to be part of our athletic programming.” 

Moving fast while thinking long-term appears to have paid dividends, as Lee is optimistic about launching a Unified Track and Field team in the spring of 2023. Early conversations have already started at L-S. Unified Track would include running (100 meter and 1 mile) long jump, shot put, javelin and relays. Lee conveyed enthusiasm for track and field because of the size and feel of the meets. A large number of students can participate, and tiers are created at meets to group athletes with comparable prior performances, so everyone gets to compete. State meets can feature as many as 25 teams, creating an atmosphere that is very similar to varsity track and field meets. 

“Track is fun, and we’re hoping to build on the momentum from the fall”

As the program seeks to expand to welcome more student athletes into the fold, it’s clear that Lee has found a way to integrate the L-S athletic program with the Superintendent goal to cultivate community school-wide. The success of the basketball season is certainly proof that the program has the power to unify, and proof that Lee delivered on his promise to “get it done.” As Lee retells the story, he remains modest about his own contributions, yet he is effusive in his praise of the community contributions that made it possible, particularly the contributions from coaches Grady and Landau. 

Lee’s enthusiasm for Unified Sports seems to be rooted in something that’s equal parts fundamental and universal. He talks about it not as an isolated offering that has been added to a list of programs, but almost as an affirmation of the ethos of his department as a whole. He put it this way:  

“It’s sports in its purest form. Playing for the enjoyment of the sport, not worried about scholarships or championships. This brings you back into why you play sports: to have fun, to compete.”

[Image credit: Dan Lee]