https://www.specialolympics.org/meet-abel 2020-01-13T14:58:02-05:00 https://i.ytimg.com/vi/i2Xbkn3dvdw/hqdefault.jpg Meet Abel Meet Abel, a star basketball player who got even better after he started playing <a href="https://www.specialolympics.org/our-work/sports/unified-sports" data-cms-id="00000165-017f-df3e-ab65-01ff2fa00003" data-cms-href="https://www.specialolympics.org/our-work/sports/unified-sports" link-data="{"cms.site.owner":{"_ref":"00000164-8a12-db15-a5fe-ce726a200000","_type":"ae3387cc-b875-31b7-b82d-63fd8d758c20"},"cms.content.publishDate":1578665095937,"cms.content.publishUser":{"_ref":"00000164-af71-d4d4-a975-bff30c6e0000","_type":"6aa69ae1-35be-30dc-87e9-410da9e1cdcc"},"cms.content.updateDate":1578665095937,"cms.content.updateUser":{"_ref":"00000164-af71-d4d4-a975-bff30c6e0000","_type":"6aa69ae1-35be-30dc-87e9-410da9e1cdcc"},"link":{"attributes":[],"item":{"_ref":"00000165-017f-df3e-ab65-01ff2fa00003","_type":"4f8e492c-6f2f-390e-bc61-f176d3a37ab9"},"_id":"0000016f-8fc5-dfb9-a5ef-dfc783a50001","_type":"c3f0009d-3dd9-3762-acac-88c3a292c6b2"},"linkText":"Unified Sports","theme.00000163-f9c8-d03b-a967-fdecd6580000.:core:link:Link.hbs._template":null,"theme.00000163-f9c8-d03b-a967-fdecd6580000.:core:enhancement:Enhancement.hbs.horizontalAlignment":null,"theme.00000163-f9c8-d03b-a967-fdecd6580000.:core:enhancement:Enhancement.hbs._template":null,"_id":"0000016f-8fc5-dfb9-a5ef-dfc783750000","_type":"809caec9-30e2-3666-8b71-b32ddbffc288"}">Unified Sports</a>. He and his Unified teammate, Manny, became best friends as they trained for <a href="https://www.specialolympics.org/our-work/games-and-competition" data-cms-id="0000016e-2274-dcfd-a7ee-f67ca86b0000" data-cms-href="https://www.specialolympics.org/our-work/games-and-competition" link-data="{"cms.site.owner":{"_ref":"00000164-8a12-db15-a5fe-ce726a200000","_type":"ae3387cc-b875-31b7-b82d-63fd8d758c20"},"cms.content.publishDate":1578665130049,"cms.content.publishUser":{"_ref":"00000164-af71-d4d4-a975-bff30c6e0000","_type":"6aa69ae1-35be-30dc-87e9-410da9e1cdcc"},"cms.content.updateDate":1578665130049,"cms.content.updateUser":{"_ref":"00000164-af71-d4d4-a975-bff30c6e0000","_type":"6aa69ae1-35be-30dc-87e9-410da9e1cdcc"},"link":{"attributes":[],"item":{"_ref":"0000016e-2274-dcfd-a7ee-f67ca86b0000","_type":"ba7d9749-a9b7-3050-86ad-15e1b9f4be7d"},"_id":"0000016f-8fc6-dfb9-a5ef-dfc709190001","_type":"c3f0009d-3dd9-3762-acac-88c3a292c6b2"},"linkText":"Special Olympics World Games","theme.00000163-f9c8-d03b-a967-fdecd6580000.:core:link:Link.hbs._template":null,"theme.00000163-f9c8-d03b-a967-fdecd6580000.:core:enhancement:Enhancement.hbs.horizontalAlignment":null,"theme.00000163-f9c8-d03b-a967-fdecd6580000.:core:enhancement:Enhancement.hbs._template":null,"_id":"0000016f-8fc6-dfb9-a5ef-dfc708f90000","_type":"809caec9-30e2-3666-8b71-b32ddbffc288"}">Special Olympics World Games</a>. Abel says <a href="https://www.specialolympics.org/our-work/sports/basketball" data-cms-id="00000165-010d-df3e-ab65-01dfcf140003" data-cms-href="https://www.specialolympics.org/our-work/sports/basketball" link-data="{"cms.site.owner":{"_ref":"00000164-8a12-db15-a5fe-ce726a200000","_type":"ae3387cc-b875-31b7-b82d-63fd8d758c20"},"cms.content.publishDate":1578665145751,"cms.content.publishUser":{"_ref":"00000164-af71-d4d4-a975-bff30c6e0000","_type":"6aa69ae1-35be-30dc-87e9-410da9e1cdcc"},"cms.content.updateDate":1578665145751,"cms.content.updateUser":{"_ref":"00000164-af71-d4d4-a975-bff30c6e0000","_type":"6aa69ae1-35be-30dc-87e9-410da9e1cdcc"},"link":{"attributes":[],"item":{"_ref":"00000165-010d-df3e-ab65-01dfcf140003","_type":"4f8e492c-6f2f-390e-bc61-f176d3a37ab9"},"_id":"0000016f-8fc6-dfb9-a5ef-dfc75beb0001","_type":"c3f0009d-3dd9-3762-acac-88c3a292c6b2"},"linkText":"basketball","theme.00000163-f9c8-d03b-a967-fdecd6580000.:core:link:Link.hbs._template":null,"theme.00000163-f9c8-d03b-a967-fdecd6580000.:core:enhancement:Enhancement.hbs.horizontalAlignment":null,"theme.00000163-f9c8-d03b-a967-fdecd6580000.:core:enhancement:Enhancement.hbs._template":null,"_id":"0000016f-8fc6-dfb9-a5ef-dfc75bcc0000","_type":"809caec9-30e2-3666-8b71-b32ddbffc288"}">basketball</a> has inspired him to reach for his dreams: whether it's playing alongside NBA sports legends at a Unified game in Madison Square Garden or working toward a college degree in sports journalism. https://www.youtube.com/embed/i2Xbkn3dvdw?feature=oembed&autoplay=1 Unified Sports Play Unified Basketball Athletes https://www.specialolympics.org/stories/impact/changing-the-world-through-sports 2020-01-13T14:58:56-05:00 https://dotorg.brightspotcdn.com/9f/50/c0c3a845427e838e11c0c00abb18/800x450-play-unified.JPG Changing the World through Sports Special Olympics transforms lives every day, everywhere. This short video is an overview of Special Olympics, its history and major programs—and how, through the power and joy of sports, Special Olympics is creating a world of inclusion and respect—one athlete, one volunteer, one doctor, one teacher at a time.<br/> https://www.youtube.com/embed/Vc17w3WVWPA?feature=oembed&autoplay=1 Play Unified Unified Sports Community Impact https://www.specialolympics.org/stories/athletes/what-does-it-mean-to-play-unified 2016-03-01T09:43:24-05:00