special olympics

Special Olympics officials are praising Westgate Collegiate & Vocational Institute for their Unity Cup, a month-long basketball tournament of teams mixed with special needs and mainstream high school students.

Students packed the stands for the gold medal game Thursday afternoon.

“The Unity Cup is about bridging the gap between mainstream students and special needs students,” said Westgate special needs classroom teacher David Workman. “The idea is that unified partners can play as hard as they want against each other, but also facilitate gameplay with the Special Olympics athletes.”

The final game was a buy‑in event for Westgate students, featuring a $5 entry fee, with all proceeds donated to the Special Olympics.

“The growth we’ve seen in the students in just four weeks has been phenomenal,” Workman said. “(The athletes went) from not knowing how to clear or check the ball to now you saw people guarding each other in a way we didn’t even see last week.”

“We’ve got mainstream students and special athletes working together, building friendships, building social connections, being accepted as part of the school.”

The game doubled as a banner ceremony for the school’s 2025 Special Olympics Ontario School Championship in basketball.

“Special Olympics has been a part of Westgate’s curriculum for as long as I can remember, 20-plus years,” Workman said. “It matches really well with the goals of the students, things we’re working on.”

Senior student and Special Olympics volunteer Nathan Vibert was a major organizer, referee and coach for the tournament.

“It was perfect,” Vibert said. “I’ve heard nothing but positive things from the athletes and the students that helped volunteer.”

Vibert has been a Special Olympics volunteer his entire high school tenure. He says the idea for an integrated sports tournament came from him and Workman.

“Everyone had such a fun time, and hopefully we can get more kids to do it next year,” Vibert said. “Maybe we grow the teams, or maybe other schools will catch on and we can start a league between schools.”

He will travel with Westgate’s special needs basketball team to London, Ontario in May as they defend their provincial title at the 2026 Special Olympics Ontario School Championships.

Westgate also hosts integrated Unity Cup tournaments in soccer, floor hockey and track and field.