For Matt Murslack, the start of every meet for his fledgling unified video gaming club is like stepping onto the field for a real-life big game.
The eighth grade teacher at Fox Chapel Area’s Dorseyville Middle School delivers a fiery motivational speech and lessons in sportsmanship.
Then the competition starts, with special needs students paired with their more neurotypical peers taking on teams from other schools in a variety of online games.
Unlike other unified sports teams, such as track and field or bocce, there’s little difference among the special needs students and their teammates when it comes to competing.
“Traditional models often position students with disabilities as recipients of assistance, unintentionally framing inclusion as a one-way street,” said Megan Collett, Fox Chapel Area executive director of instructional and innovative leadership.
In this league, anyone can be the most valuable player and lead their team to victory.