Mathew Zoffreo dribbled down the court, passing the basketball between his legs before making a basket. Weeks earlier, he had learned how to dribble for the first time, as a participant of the Unified Hoops Clinic—a six-session summer program that provides basketball coaching for children with special needs, ages 8 to 17.
Rising Belmont High School sophomores Vince Huang and Tucker Whitman launched the clinic with support from their parents. The idea emerged when they learned that several families were interested in such a program, but the Belmont Recreation Department lacked the staff to provide it.
Within two weeks of advertising the program on the Belmont Recreation website, all 12 slots were filled.
“The need is there,” said Jenny Ou, Huang’s mother and one of the parents who supported the program.
Huang had volunteered for other Belmont sports programs, such as tennis and weightlifting, but noticed a gap in basketball programs for kids with special needs.
After this realization, Huang and Whitman were inspired to share their love of basketball.
Larry Whitman—Tucker Whitman’s father—along with a team of high school volunteers, facilitated the sessions, focusing on promoting basketball skills, social skills, physical coordination, teamwork, and inclusion.
“This program was just what I was looking for,” wrote Patricia Vargas, parent of Zoffreo, in a letter to The Voice.
“[Coach Larry] challenged [the participants] in a fun way,” she added. “The student leaders did a fantastic job showing [the participants] how to do the drills, how to be team players, and work with each other.”
Larry Whitman said he felt an indescribable amount of joy from coaching the participants. He said some highlights were “seeing the improvement and how funny these kids are, and just how amazing [they are].”
Growing as a Team
Robert Zoffreo, Mathew Zoffreo’s father, said he noticed his son growing more confident in his skills throughout the program.
“I saw a lot of confidence exude from Mathew after he would get the technical skills and the drills down,” he said, adding that during the final clinic session, his son was able to score 27 points.
Stacey Phiri said that although her son Esau Phiri was initially a bit nervous for the first day of the clinic, he was immediately met with the welcoming environment created by the coach and student volunteers.
“Whenever we came, he couldn’t wait to come,” said Phiri. “He’s like, ‘Today’s basketball! Today’s basketball!’” she added.
A Unifying Experience
Unified Hoops ran for six consecutive Fridays in July and August and cost $40 per attendee for the entire clinic—equivalent to the cost of similar programs offered through the Belmont Recreation department. All fees went to Belmont Recreation.
Some families drove for up to two hours round-trip to attend the unique program, said Ou.
“This type of basketball clinic is pretty rare,” she said, adding that there are not many similar basketball programs in the state that support students with special needs.
“Our program gave a place where these kids can be proud of themselves,” said Huang. The program created an atmosphere where all participants are included and valued, he said.
“That’s something our community really needs,” he added.
A goal of the program is to create a safe community—like a family—for participants, according to Tucker Whitman. “It was really great because [the participants] would support each other,” he said. “When they scored, everyone would cheer.”
At the end of the program, participants received trophies for their hard work on the court.
Tucker Whitman and Huang said they also both grew into more patient teachers over the course of the clinic.
“Not everything went as planned, so our volunteers and parents had to adjust on the fly, and that includes communicating and making quick decisions so we can make sure the kids come first,” Huang said.
“I learned leadership isn’t always about being perfect, but about focusing on the bigger goal, instead of these small things,” he added.
Looking Towards the Future
In a letter to the Voice, the Unified Hoops leadership team wrote, “We aim to expand next year’s registration to welcome even more participants and provide greater opportunities for families to engage in this enriching experience.”
“We want families to count on it as something their kids can look forward to,” said Huang.
Stacey Phiri said if the program is offered next summer, her son would love to sign up again.
“I love the program, and I love what it did for my son,” said Robert Zoffreo.
