MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake and Ephrata unified basketball programs faced off at Moses Lake High School on Tuesday night. The Chiefs took the first game of the night, 47-36, before the Tigers came back to take a close second game, 50-48.

The unified teams are put in place by both schools to provide an opportunity for students with special needs. Ephrata head coach Gayle Dow has been a part of the Ephrata unified program since it began six years ago.

Dow said her favorite thing about the unified basketball program is that it provides an opportunity for inclusion and friendship. Dow said she sees friendships and bonds built that carry over into the hallways and lunchroom at school.

“I see a lot of the general ed kids making friends,” Dow said. “They will not do their competition team and come do the unified team, which I think is really neat.”

The unified program helps open the door for these students into sports, Dow said.

Dow said the program extends beyond just the basketball and soccer teams at Ephrata, with clubs and events, such as a trip to the prom.

“You’ve seen the kids out there, they’re just cheering on,” Dow said. “And it’s not team against team, we cheer for everybody. It’s not Ephrata against Moses Lake, it’s unified, and it’s inclusive, and that’s what it’s about.”

Moses Lake head coach Ryan Hadfield has been a teacher in the school district for the past four years. Hadfield came over with nine years of coaching experience at Eastmont and Wenatchee High Schools. When he heard about the unified program when he arrived, Hadfield said he wanted to become involved right away.

“I’ve always loved coaching, I’ve always loved athletics, so getting involved with this, it’s just a blast,” Hadfield said.

After a year as an assistant, Hadfield has been the head coach of the Moses Lake team for three years. The support of the administration and school have been huge in making everything run smoothly, Hadfield said.

“It takes a lot to put this on,” Hadfield said. “Just having a practice can be difficult sometimes.”

The Moses Lake coach said his coaching staff has been a huge help for him, including assistant coach Ian Faulkner who works as a behavior specialist in the district.

Hadfield said seeing the partner athletes, the general education students who help out, has been one of his favorite parts of being involved with the unified program. The Moses Lake coach said he’s had some parents say this program is why their kids come to school.

“I think it really helps a lot in the classroom, too,” Hadfield said. “Being able to play is a big motivator for good behavior, both with our partners and our athletes.”

Both coaches went to the same word to sum up what these programs mean to those involved, the smiles. The evidence of what these teams mean can be found on the faces on the court.