BOUNTIFUL—Logan Bodily loves basketball. He’s the team manager for boys basketball at Clearfield High and he’s also a Unified Sports athlete who competed in a tournament held at Bountiful High last week. The Unified Sports program champions inclusion, empathy and friendship by bringing together athletes with and without intellectual disabilities on the same teams.

“I have fun and I like the teamwork,” said Bodily, who plays alongside peer leaders without disabilities. “I play offense and defense and I score a lot. I like talking to them (peer leaders) and getting to know them.”

Bodily is a senior and this is his third year as a Unified Sports athlete. “It’s so fun. I’m not nervous – I’m excited to get out there.”

“I’ve played for two years,” said Unified Sports athlete McCoy Barlow, a junior at Bountiful High. “I like all the people and making friends and dribbling past everyone.”

This is paraprofessional Rose Eyre’s third year coaching Unified Sports at Bountiful High. “I love this,” she said. “This is the highlight of the year. When I watch from the sidelines it makes me cry and I’m not ready for that.”

It’s amazing how the peer leaders treat the students with respect and care, she said. “There’s such a bond. When they don’t know what to do they help them.”

“I have a friend who is an officer and they wanted me to be a peer leader,” said Bountiful junior Isabel Blackburn. “I was nervous, I didn’t know what to expect. They were very accepting and so happy to be there playing.”

It was a good experience, she said. “I decided to do it. It was something I wanted to stay with because of how friendly everybody was so I wanted to commit to it.”

It’s a wonderful day for Davis County students, said Jodi Lunt, Executive Director of the Davis Education Foundation that oversees the program. “I love this event. It represents community, unity, compassion and teamwork. It's a way to build community. I love the tenants of Unified Sports.”

Most players like to spend time shooting or holding the ball, she said. “Our superstars pass and give others the opportunity to grow and succeed and feel that success.”

For the peer leaders selfless growth comes through the program. “Oftentimes, with any type of service the receiver is grateful but for the person who gave it, it is self-satisfying assisting and lifting others. Peer leaders gain as much as student-athletes.”

There are 250 young people, athletes and peer leaders at this event today, Lunt said. “We grew this year. It’s fabulous. Most schools increased by at least one sport but Northridge High added three. Students are loving it so much there’s a growing desire to be part of the Unified Sports program we do.”

There are five full sports at all grade levels, she said. “It’s made possible by the incredible generosity and kindness of our community partners. Today’s event was paid for by the Murdock Family Foundation. We have different sponsors for each sport.”

It’s pretty marvelous, said Lunt. “They paid for buses, lunches and Lifetime gave us new basketballs.”

“We love sports education and how inclusive this program is and it matches our Foundation’s goals,” said Murdock Chevrolet General Manager, Tyson Murdock. “It’s great to see the relationships develop from the peer leader system and how it works for kids who could never envision being on the court and playing.”

It’s an honor to recognize and celebrate the athleticism and skill building that’s happening, Lunt said. “These days remind us all of what’s most important and that’s people and relationships. There’s not anything more rewarding than building up young people.”