Unified Bean Bag tournament gets those with disabilities into sport

Local high school students with cognitive disabilities were able to get out of the classroom and throw bean bags on Tuesday.

Cold Lake High School hosted its Unified Bean Bag tournament, which sees those with disabilities paired up with mainstream students in teams in rounds of cornhole.

The Alberta Schools Athletic Association (ASAA) has been having these unified events for years, which Cold Lake High and others in the Lakeland have piggybacked on.

“This is an event where we’re bringing everyone together, so they can form friendships and camaraderie and everyone is contributing equally,” CLHS teacher Kelly Eagles. “So it’s just a really positive thing that we have. And then today, we chose to host the bean bag tournament, which is really accessible, it’s not very expensive, it’s easy to learn the rules. Everyone who comes can find it really easy to jump in and participate successfully.” 

 

 

Dallen Pinder, a student from F.G. Miller in Elk Point, really enjoyed the event.

“I like being with my buddies and Miss Cribbins I love. And I thank everybody here for playing bean bags,” he said. 

It is is Grade 12 year and he’s been coming to unified events for five years.

“It’s very important for Dallen,” said F.G. Miller educational assistant Lori Cribbins. “He doesn’t have a whole lot of friends at school with any disability. He comes here and gets to join all his friends throughout the year with different activities. So we really appreciate the invite that we get coming here.”

In the past schools like BCHS have hosted unified 3-on-3 basketball and badminton tournaments, as well as track and field.

It allows those with disabilities a chance to get out of the classroom for a day and to be social with their peers.

But as Dakota, a Cold Lake High School student says, it’s all about “having fun.”