Click here for a photo gallery of Drew Unified at Red Bull Arena
 
HARRISON, N.J. (Oct. 6, 2015) – In just its second year of competition, Drew University Unified Sports has already taken its talents to the professional stage.
 
On Saturday, Oct. 3, members of Drew Unified took the pitch at Red Bull Arena after the Major League Soccer match between the New York Red Bulls and the Columbus Crew. Juniors John Marques, Ian Pavlak and Brandon Kokich of the Drew men's soccer team and senior Courtney Stephens and junior Courtney Trzasko of the Drew women's basketball team joined up with athletes from New Jersey Special Olympics to take on a Unified Team from Ohio on the professional soccer field.
 
Unified Sports joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team and is dedicated to promoting social inclusion through shared sports training and competition experiences. The partnership is inspired by a simple principle: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding.
 
The match at Red Bull Arena was put together by the Major League Soccer Exchange Program with Special Olympics. The evening started with a private dinner. Then the members of Drew Unified watched the Red Bulls warm-up on field level before watching the New York club defeat the Columbus Crew, 2-1. At the 70^th minute of the match, the Rangers and their partners from Special Olympics New Jersey headed down to the Red Bulls locker room, where each player had a personalized locker waiting for them with a Red Bulls jersey kit.
 
Drew Unified made the trip to the tunnel entrance to the field just as the pros do, but the professional treatment didn't stop there. Cameras captured the athletes' entrance and projected them on to the jumbotron to the fans and MLS players in attendance. The teams lined up to be introduced with the referees before the action got underway.
 
The teams competed in a 7-on-7 game during two 20-minute halves. The Drew and Ohio teams were fit to be tied as the contest ended in a hard-fought, 4-4 draw. After the game, members of the Red Bulls helped conduct a medal ceremony with the participants.
 
Drew Unified Sports returns to Ranger Stadium this Sunday as they do every weekend for pickup soccer games at Drew University. The Drew Unified Sports program will continue with basketball during the winter season. In Unified Sports, teams are made up of people of similar age and ability, which makes practices more fun and games more challenging and exciting for all. Having athletics in common is another way to eliminate preconceptions and false ideas.
 
For more information or to get involved with Drew Unified Sports, e-mail drewunified@gmail.com or visit them on facebook here.