Niwot High unified bowling nearing season's end

Another memorable season for the Niwot High unified bowling team is nearing its end.

Comprised of NHS students with disabilities, the program's final regular season competition was held on Monday, Oct. 30, with regionals coming up next on Friday, Nov. 10. The program is led by coaches Amy Holle and Dawn Zwisler.

Holle and Zwisler are also aided by "partners" - students without disabilities who volunteer their time helping the team. The relationships formed between the partners and the athletes have been special, Holle shared.

"The student helpers come from all grades, kids with lots of different interests," Holle said. "The thing they have in common is they just want to see a more inclusive school. They want to be able to support our students and really represent Niwot and make sure all kids at Niwot have a chance to be a part of a team."

Holle said that the program holds about 10 special needs athletes and 15 partners.

Simply put, bowling is an avenue to the team's larger goals.

"Unified sports is to promote inclusivity and [to make it so] that sports is for everyone," Holle said. "We don't want a disability to be a barrier for bowling or for basketball. By pairing with students who do not have disabilities, it really opens the doors for our kids that need more support."

The special needs athletes, who bowl at Centennial Lanes in Longmont, have indeed relished their time with the team's partners. And more often than not, those relationships carry over into the school building.

"The bowling part is fun, but then also hanging out with other students is what a lot of my students (special needs athletes) really think is fun," Holle said. "They came up with a little dance that got posted on Instagram. You (the athletes) feel like you're famous, and they really enjoyed that."

As with any high school team, losing seniors, Sofia Keronen, Cassandra Eickmann, and Ashlee Wood, to graduation is a difficult reality.

"They're sad," Holle said of her three seniors. "It's been a huge part of high school for them."

The top three teams at regionals will advance to the unified bowling state championships on Nov. 17.

NHS special needs students will also have an opportunity to join the school's unified basketball team this winter.

Special needs students on the bowling team include Finn Davis, Sofia Keronen, Cassandra Eickmann, Ashlee Wood, Jake Hostelley, Jack Frailey, Emmett Vertuca and Taylor Teigen.