Unified Bowling students celebrate seniors during last game

The Center Moriches Unified Bowling team recently came to an end, culminating in their last game of the season and a senior celebration on Tuesday, April 8 at The All Star, located in Riverhead.

The team, which is classified as a varsity sport, officially started the season in February. The team roster includes about 32 students, student-athletes, eight support staff, two supervisors—Katie Ross and Tracy Sigerson—and one head coach, LisaAnn Zlatniski. The team practiced five times a week and competed in matches at All-Star bowling or Port Jeff Bowl.

During the nine-week season, student athletes tracked scores during practices and matches as well as strikes and spares during practice to help gain a better visual of success in goal setting during the season.

Unified Bowling is an inclusive sports program where individuals with and without intellectual disabilities are on the team. The unique setting fosters inclusion and friendship through a lifetime activity: the game of bowling.

“The experience is quite magical, with students that would never otherwise have the opportunity to participate in a varsity sport,” Zlatniski  said of witnessing the games. “The sheer joy of getting a spare or a strike, it’s priceless. While varsity sports often define success by competition and records, the focus is different: creating a nonjudgmental space where everyone is included, accepted, and empowered to thrive.”

Parents usually come to spectate. But during the last game of the season, the celebration was made extra special for the seven rostered seniors with food, music and gifts, including custom cookies, senior posters and framed photos.

The Unified Bowling Program was formally sanctioned by Section XI as a varsity sport in the 2020-21 school year. However, this is the first year that Center Moriches School District participated.

Like the Unified Golf Program, athletes were randomly paired throughout the season with partners to create a strong sense of team, foster new friendships through socialization, and develop skills and techniques in a lifetime activity: the game of bowling.  

For years, the Center Moriches School District has been providing students with a more inclusive way to play sports with their addition of the Unified Sports Program.

The co-ed program, through Section XI, is for all students at the high-school level. According to the Unified Sports website, the idea is to join people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team. It was inspired by a simple principle: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding.

Teachers involved in the program include Zlatniski, the program’s bowling and golf coach and assistant basketball coach as well as the high school physical education teacher; Katie Ross, the CM middle school and high school health and physical education teacher and head coach of the unified basketball team and assistant top golf coach; and Tracy Sigerson, the high school special education teacher and transition coordinator, who also helps coach the bowling, golf, and basketball teams as an assistant.