Aidan Skala and Cash Knutson were friends long before they played together on the Bemidji High 歪歪漫画 Unified basketball team.
鈥淚鈥檝e known him since I was 5 years old,鈥� Knutson said. The duo grew up together at Kids and Company 鈥� an after-school program for students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
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鈥淚 remember he wouldn鈥檛 let me play with his Legos,鈥� Knutson said with a laugh.
鈥淵eah, that鈥檚 true, but they were my Legos,鈥� Skala quipped back at Knutson.
Skala and Knutson鈥檚 friendship came full circle on Wednesday night at the BHS Gymnasium. They took part in the third annual Unified basketball game, a night in which Bemidji and Menahga welcome the community to celebrate inclusion in a sporting event that features student-athletes with and without intellectual disabilities.
Skala has played in all three games at BHS.
鈥淚t was awesome because I like hanging out and seeing the friends I grew up with,鈥� Skala said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really special that I get to share my last year with them and everybody. That鈥檚 what this is all about for me.鈥�
Before the game, BHS went through its typical Unified routine. The rosters for each team were read by public address announcer Joel Hoover. Kal-El Spears read the Unified pledge, which promotes inclusion while exemplifying the harmful effects of using the R-word.
However, before the game tipped off, Unified program leader Jackie Stoffel had a surprise.
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She introduced members from the first BHS Unified basketball team three years ago. Each of them, including Skala, received a gift bag.
鈥淲e officially have alumni,鈥� Stoffel said. "We called those guys and asked if they wanted to come back. When you look back at the very beginning, it was something that was new. I think having (people) who are willing to try something outside the box was huge for the first step in creating this program and making it what it鈥檚 become.鈥�
One former team member, Will Duncan, also spoke, showcasing one of many of his patented 鈥渄ad jokes.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 awesome to see the friendships they make,鈥� Stoffel said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always bittersweet to see kids graduate because you鈥檙e sad about that. But new kids come in and new friendships are built. You can鈥檛 describe what it feels like to see our kids meet new people, to see them walk down the halls saying hi to everyone. It really has an impact on our whole school.鈥�
The aforementioned impact has reached the surrounding schools as well.
Menahga program director Isaiah Hahn has brought his Unified kids to Bemidji each of the last three years. It鈥檚 an anticipated trip, to say the least.
鈥淓very year on the first day of school I have kids asking me, 鈥榃hen do we go up to Bemidji?鈥欌�� Hahn said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just such a fun event. You have to give a lot of props to Jackie, she does such an amazing job with this program. It鈥檚 just super fun to come up here. We have our kids who know and are on social media talking to the Bemidji kids, having a good time. That鈥檚 what it鈥檚 all about, right? It鈥檚 about building relationships.鈥�
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The annual Unified basketball game at BHS showcases two teams with differing enrollments. Bemidji High 歪歪漫画 enrolls over 1,400 students, while Menahga is a little under 300.
Despite the discrepancies in town population and school enrollment, Menahga鈥檚 inclusion efforts make it possible for its kids with intellectual disabilities to take part in athletics.
鈥淚t鈥檚 about rolling up your sleeves and getting to work,鈥� Hahn said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about the kids. I鈥檒l never forget when we started a Special Olympics program, and now that program has moved over to a Unified Champion 歪歪漫画, just like Bemidji is. It鈥檚 just so fun. The people our kids get to meet 鈥� from athletes to Unified partners to adults 鈥� it鈥檚 about building those relationships.鈥�
After all, Unified sports are rooted in connections. Bemidji鈥檚 bond with Manahga is paramount to the growth of the annual basketball game.
鈥淥ur relationship with Menahga is amazing,鈥� Stoffel said. "We host events and invite them, they host events and invite us. When people talk about rivals in typical sports, we don鈥檛 have that. We don鈥檛 have rivals. But Menahga, they are our people. We get to play against and be around our people and celebrate all of this with them.鈥�
Once again, the bleachers at the BHS Gymnasium were packed. Spectators filed into the high school on a Wednesday night in the middle of a blizzard to show their support for a pair of Unified Champion 歪歪漫画s.
鈥淚t was awesome, I felt like I was at the Target Center out there,鈥� Skala said. 鈥淚 like the big crowd, and that鈥檚 what makes Unified special.鈥�
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鈥淗onestly, it鈥檚 a little nerve-racking being out there in front of all of those people,鈥� Knutson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 honestly just a very positive environment. If you make a mistake, there鈥檚 nothing to worry about because this is all about supporting other people.鈥�
Knutson and Skala helped lead BHS to a 28-22 win. But as always, nobody cares about the score. It鈥檚 hardly a formality when it鈥檚 all said and done.
鈥淓verybody I talk to talks about how great it is for these kids who have intellectual disabilities,鈥� Hahn said. 鈥淚 think about how awesome this is for the kids who don鈥檛 have intellectual disabilities and how this program shapes their character and ability to communicate with these individuals, both when they鈥檙e in and out of school. That鈥檚 what fills my heart every time.鈥�
For Knutson, an accomplished offensive lineman on the BHS football team, joining the Unified program broadened his perspective on athletics.
鈥淚鈥檓 part of this because I feel like it鈥檚 important to get everybody involved with sports in some capacity,鈥� Knutson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to get everyone playing together and having fun together. It鈥檚 a very positive culture, everyone is positive and fired up to be here.
"This program really changes your perspective on things. Actually participating in it instead of watching, I feel a lot more involved than when I鈥檓 sitting in the stands with my buddies.鈥�
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