A popular unified athlete played his last basketball game of his high school career this week at East Hampton. Jimmy Esposito is turning 22 and will age out of the program.
Unified sports bring together athletes with disabilities and able-bodied partners. Esposito uses a wheelchair and is nonverbal, but with help from varsity athlete partners he has played basketball in the East Hampton gym for the last three years.
“It is so amazing. The helpers that come every week and give their time to make everybody shine. It’s the best hour of my week. You laugh. You cry. You root for everybody. It is so fantastic,” said Lori Hubbard, Esposito’s mother, who drives hours to bring him to the games. “He goes to school in Westhampton, so I will leave Montauk, pick him up in Westhampton and drive him to a game here. I can’t say enough about everybody. They’re so wonderful.”
The final game of the unified basketball season was a special one for several athletes. East Hampton hosted Riverhead and welcomed back Dominic Coronel, a unified athlete who was a Bonacker until he moved last year.
“He used to be on the home team, now he’s a Blue Wave, but he told me he looks better in blue. He loves blue. It’s his favorite color,” said Kathy Masterson, East Hampton’s athletic director. “It was great to see Dom back with his friends and to see how well he’s doing.”
Unified sporting events showcase the best East Hampton has to offer. Music plays throughout the games. The student-athletes dance at halftime, and sometimes, even while they’re playing. A joyful energy fills the gym. Austin Miller wears his Indiana Jones-style hat. Sean Lester hurls three-pointers like he’s Steph Curry. Charlie Feyh’s smile melts hearts. And there are highlights galore.
“Austin with the spin move. Jimmy can bring the ball up any time. He’s a great slam dunk artist. Rocco [Intonato] has been slam dunking. Clash with his dribbling ability! They’ve got some skills. You could say something about everybody,” said Krista Brooks, who coaches unified basketball and girls varsity basketball. “It’s such a great group of kids and it teaches the partners how to be more empathetic and these athletes look up to them.”
While everyone on the team was sorry to say goodbye to Esposito at the end of the season, they hope he’ll be back in the stands next year. “Jimmy has been such a great addition to us and he’s totally going to be missed,” Masterson said. “I hate when our student-athletes age out. Hopefully, he’ll still come to all our games.”