GREECE, N.Y. — Jason McElwain had done everything he was asked to do for the Greece Athena High School basketball team — keep the stats, run the clock, hand out water bottles.
That all changed last week for the team manager in the final home game of the season. The 17-year-old senior, who is autistic and usually sits on the bench in a white shirt and black tie, put on a uniform and entered the game with his team way ahead.
McElwain proceeded to hit six 3-point shots, finished with 20 points and was carried off the court on his teammates' shoulders.
You can watch the video here (via Critical Fanatic). The crowd goes legitimately and truly nuts. It got a little dusty in my apartment...
1 comment:
That is a GREAT story, Pooh!
In some ways, things have gotten ever so much better for people with disabilities in this society, and there has been remarkable strides in treatment for and athe accomplishments of at least some autistic people. How wonderful to see an example.
Yesterday, coincidentally, I was at lunch at the n.p. on which I'm on the board and sat at a table which included a little girl with autism. The way in which others interacted with her and the ways in which she was able to to interact (there is intense 3x-daily therapy on social skills) with others was just remarkable--and far cry from experience I recall from just 20-odd years ago.
There's still a long way to go, but how hopeful.
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