Simon Keenan #1 competes with Miramonte’s Unified Soccer team, part of a program that pairs students in the Essential Skills Program with peers to foster inclusion, teamwork and school spirit on and off the field.
Unified Sports has become a meaningful and visible part of life at Miramonte High School, offering students in the Essential Skills Program (ESC) new ways to participate in athletics and feel connected to the broader student body.
The program, run in partnership with Special Olympics Northern California, pairs ESC students as Unified athletes with general education students who serve as peer partners.
Miramonte currently fields Unified teams in soccer, basketball, and track and field, providing three full seasons of competition during the school year.
Teams compete against other high schools with similar programs, including Acalanes, Heritage, Benicia and Deer Valley, often during lunchtime to allow classmates and staff to attend.
This scheduling has helped turn Unified games into spirited campus events.
A recent home soccer match against Acalanes, for example, featured cheerleaders on the sidelines, posters made by student leaders, play-by-play commentary and full use of the scoreboard and music system.
“These Unified athletes probably haven’t had the same opportunities to play sports in high school,” said Unified Sports Director, Dallas Nicolosi. “But on that field, with the cheer team, the announcers, the scoreboard lit up and a crowd of students cheering, they had a moment that was entirely theirs.”
The involvement of partner athletes has played a major role in the program’s growth.
Partners attend after-school practices, travel with the team to away games, and provide essential support during competitions. Nicolosi noted that their presence is not only practical but deeply meaningful, describing how partners balance encouragement and competition while helping to create a team culture that feels both welcoming and competitive.
One of the most notable shifts this year has been the district’s commitment to equal recognition.
Unified athletes now receive the same acknowledgments offered to all Miramonte sports teams: varsity letters, team photos in the yearbook, dedicated transportation for away games and coverage on school social media channels.
Senior Anthony Morosini, who has participated in Unified Sports since his freshman year, has experienced this support firsthand.
He earned his varsity letter, appears on this year’s senior banner display, and served as an honorary football captain during homecoming.
“It feels important,” Anthony said of being part of a Miramonte team. “Practices and competitions are fun, and I make new friends. Being recognized as an athlete means I am included and get to participate like every other student.”
Unified Sports at Miramonte was originally established by ESC teacher Asia Becker, whose collaboration with Special Olympics Northern California launched the school’s first Unified soccer and basketball teams.
Becker handled the early groundwork, recruiting partners, coordinating with Special Olympics coaches, and creating practice structures that allowed athletes to learn the game, build confidence and experience true competition.
“The priority was to ensure Essential Skills students had a space to play a varsity sport and feel included in athletics at Miramonte,” Becker said. That goal has been realized. “We have packed out home games for every sport. The students are proud of the work they put in at practice and are always excited for game days.”
Becker has seen growth not only among Unified athletes but across the student body.
She notes that ESC students have shown increased confidence on campus, and partner athletes gain leadership skills through their participation.
Attendance at games continues to rise as more students learn about Unified Sports, and the ongoing collaboration with Acalanes has strengthened connections between the two schools.
“Walking down the hallway and seeing high-fives or hearing words of encouragement on game days shows how far this has come,” Becker said.
While there is interest in expanding to additional sports in the future, the focus for now is sustaining the three existing seasons and ensuring the experience remains consistent, supportive and inclusive.
As Unified Sports continues to grow on campus, its impact is increasingly visible in ways large and small, from crowded sidelines to quiet moments of encouragement in the hallway. The message threaded through each season is clear: every student can be an athlete, and every athlete deserves to be seen.
“The goal is simple,” said Nicolosi. “It’s to make sure every Unified athlete receives the same opportunities and recognition available to any Miramonte athlete.”
