John Oliver Secondary recently played host to the first ever Learning Assistance/Life Skills Handball Championships. Forty-five students representing five Vancouver high schools (Van Tech, John Oliver, Point Grey, Magee, and Eric Hamber) played team handball.
The popular phys ed game is a hybrid of basketball and hockey where players pass a ball around and shoot at a hockey net, defended by a goaltender, for points. The secondary Learning Assistance/Life Skills (LALS) programs serve students with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities in a variety of ways including promoting personal independence and developing social skills.
One of the tournament organizers, Van Tech teacher Michael-Don Borason, declared the event a massive success. "There was great sportsmanship, competition, and most important, the kids had a great time," he says. "Staff and parents who watched commented on how much they appreciated how the students on opposing teams helped each other during the games, making sure everyone, regardless of their skill level, was included in the play. It was great to see."
Belinda MacKinnon, the LALS teacher from Magee, agrees, "I was so overjoyed to see our kids wearing Magee colours and being treated as student athletes," she says.
Home team John Oliver took home the medals, winning the tournament with a 3-0-1 record.
