A 3 on 3 basketball tournament on Friday didn't have much to do with ribbons, trophies and prizes but had everything to do with creating unity, inclusion and having fun.

Three Airdrie high schools, Bert Church, W.H. Croxford and St. Martin de Porres were among the schools who participated in Calgary's Unified Basketball Tournament that had people with and without intellectual disabilities playing on the same teams.  The tournament was a joint effort between Special Olympics Alberta and the Alberta Schools Athletic Association.

The Athletic Director at St. Martin de Porres Edmund Crame said the word "inclusion" said it all for him.  "A lot of students at our school are fortunate to have an opportunity to participate in a variety of activities and sometimes kids with diverse learning needs get left out so this is just the perfect opportunity to be involved."  

Crame thinks the experience for the students who volunteered to mentor the diverse learners gave them an opportunity to see sports in a different light.  "It really puts the emphasis on play.  I think sometimes when you're competing in sports as a teenager or as we get older we focus so much on the competition and forget that, at the end of the day, it's about having fun and inclusion."

One of the St. Martin de Porres players, Nicholas Granley said he had a great time.  "It was honestly very fun working with all the kids.  It was a life learning experience.  You've got to realize how lucky you are in life, I kind of stand back and look at the bigger picture,  These kids have been through so much.  To have a day like this for them, it means a lot."

Granley was taking part in Unified Basketball for the first time, but he says it definitely won't be his last.  "After today, yeah, I'll continue doing this.  I really enjoyed it."

The tourney involved 120 players from seven Calgary and area high schools and took place at the Jack Simpson Gym on the University of Calgary campus.  After the action was over, the players got to hear from Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi.