The Cumberland County Lady Jets hosting an all-abilities basketball event Saturday to provide students and adults with mental and physical disabilities an opportunity to learn and play the game.
Head Girls’ Basketball Coach Radhika Dishman said the clinic is open to participants of all ages from across the Upper Cumberland. Dishman said the program is designed to welcome individuals regardless of their specific limitations or skill sets.
“It’s just a great opportunity for our Lady Jets and Jets to interact and to celebrate and praise and just give love to these adults as well as these young kids,” Dishman said. “Basically we are welcoming in students and adults within the Upper Cumberland who have both mental and physical disabilities and just share the game that we all love to play.”
Dishman said the event will begin with a group dance before moving into basketball fundamentals. The Lady Jets players will provide instruction on basic skills including dribbling and shooting.
“The most important thing, the Lady Jets are going to be celebrating their involvement, just having a great time, encouraging, praising, high-fiving and just making sure they feel loved, welcome and excited about their involvement,” Dishman said. “We have jerseys, Lady Jet jerseys for them to wear during the event.”
Dishman said the school is utilizing adaptive equipment provided by the community to ensure all participants can engage with the sport. The session will also include competitive games where the high school athletes will coach the participants in live play.
“We want the community as well as the participants to see that whatever their dreams and goals are and whatever their limitations, whatever their disabilities are, they can still enjoy basketball,” Dishman said. “To have fun playing the game of basketball, learning the game of basketball, no matter of your skill set, no matter of your disability, you can still participate, you can still have fun.”
Dishman said the inspiration for the event came from a similar adaptive clinic she hosted while coaching in Orlando. Many of the current basketball players already have experience working with these students through adaptive physical education classes and local field day events.
“I think that is probably one of the biggest things I want my team to take away from this weekend is what can we learn from the participants,” Dishman said. “The entire community coming together and being a part of this event is just an opportunity for us all to work together, to celebrate together, to learn from each other and just to enjoy basketball at Cumberland County High School.”
Dishman said ARC of Cumberland County and the Hilltoppers Association assisted in organizing the event. She said she intends to make the clinic an annual tradition that grows in size each year.
“The ultimate goal is to make a more inclusive community, a more inclusive society, and so I think that’s definitely the ultimate goal and where I want to see the growth,” Dishman said.