Oh no! The basketball hoops were raised to the gym ceiling, but the kids participating in École Sage Creek School’s Special Olympics Lunch Club program needed them down to practice their basketball skills.

“We need to power them up, so they can come down,” phys ed teacher and program volunteer Neil Crockford said to the students. “You know how we do that? Jumping jacks!”

Niel hopped up, and the kids followed suit, doing their jumping jacks with wide smiles as — lo and behold — the hoops began lowering into place.

There are so many great things about the Special Olympics Lunch Club program at École Sage Creek School, but let’s start with this: it’s a whole bunch of fun.

The program runs each month on early dismissal days, the third Tuesday of the month, and begins with something of a picnic.

On this Tuesday in January, students and staff plopped down at tables set up in the gym to have a bite to eat together before the play began. A few students were so excited to play, they managed just a few bites before running to grab basketballs and run around the court.

“It’s all about accessibility and inclusion,” vice-principal Lisa Albrecht, who leads the program at École Sage Creek School, said.

The program is open to students of varying abilities who may face barriers to accessing sport otherwise.

Some, for example, may find the hectic environment of a regularly scheduled gym class overstimulating. Some may have mobility limitations or any range of disabilities, for which a little extra space can make all the difference in providing the kind of sports experience all students deserve.

“It’s much quieter when there’s about 20 kids participating,” Lisa said.

Educational assistants join to support the students, and staff from many areas — student services, administration, teaching staff — choose to join in on the fun.

At the end of the year, Lisa hopes to involve parents in an event at which all participants will receive medals or ribbons to commemorate all the effort they’ve put into their skill development and play.

That’ll be just one more thing these amazing students can celebrate.

“Students enjoy going back to class and sharing what they’ve experienced, and they’re very proud of it. They’re excited to show off the skills they’re learning,” Lisa said.

The program doesn’t always run out of the École Sage Creek School gym. Grant Park High School hosts their track and field days, for example. In those cases, the kids get onto a bus and Lisa trails behind with a truck full of equipment, mobility gear, and whatever else is needed.

Neil, our jumping jack catalyst, lauded Lisa’s work.

“Lisa was instrumental in spearheading this program at our school. She approached our phys ed team with the idea of a Special Olympics Lunch Club, and she was so passionate about creating these opportunities for our students. It took us no time at all to jump on board with her vision to help develop our program at École Sage Creek School,” he said.

For his own part, he said he and his coworkers revel in seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces each month.

Lisa returned the appreciation for all three gym teachers who volunteer, as well as the student services team and all the others who work hard to ensure that all students have the opportunity to access and share in the fun of sport.