Students compete in ‘Arc Madness’ at southeast Wichita’s Garvey Sports Center

The YMCA Garvey Sports Center in south Wichita had all the ingredients of March Madness:

Screaming fans.

Dancing cheerleaders.

Sweet jump shots.

And a 6-foot-6-inch center named Dallas Dismuke from East High School, who offered this strategy for the upcoming championship game:

“We want to win.”

Dismuke and more than 200 other high school students with special needs participated in “Arc Madness” on Friday, a half-day basketball tournament sponsored by the Arc of Sedgwick County’s Circle of Friends program, Wichita public schools and the YMCA.

Marty Rothwell, director of programs for the Arc, said the tournament – which featured 14 school-based special-education teams competing in four divisions – is the only one of its kind in the country.

“There’s no paid staff or officials – all volunteers,” Rothwell said. “We do it because these kids want a chance to represent their schools like everyone else.”

Participants included Purnell Franklin, wearing a yellow bandana emblazoned with “SOUTHEAST” in black letters, who shook his pom-poms and cheered the Buffalos to a win over Derby High School.

“Dribble it, pass it, we want a basket!” Purnell and his classmates screamed.

Cheer coach Staci Rankin, a special-ed paraeducator at Southeast, directed the group from her seat in the bleachers. She said events like Friday’s tournament – and the 10-week season that led up to it – are important for the students.

“Our kids don’t get to be involved in regular athletics,” she said. “So for them to get out here and be a part of a team and represent their school, it’s a huge boost to their self-esteem.”

Students were divided into divisions based on overall skill level, Rothwell said. Some have autism, Down syndrome or other developmental delays. Others with physical disabilities sat in wheelchairs or on teachers’ laps on the sidelines and participated in free-throw competitions for their respective schools.

Charles Christenbury, 14, helped lead his East High team to its first-ever win over Chisholm Life Skills Center with a game-high 22 points.

“I like having Vincent on my team,” Charles said after the victory, putting an arm around teammate Vincent Grebenik. “I’d like to say thanks to Vincent.”

Vincent smiled back, then talked about the team’s next matchup against Southeast High.

“We need to focus. We need to play defense,” he said “We need to pass the ball and make baskets.”

Christenbury’s mother, Carla, said Charles has loved watching and playing basketball since he was very young. Getting to wear an East High jersey, represent his school and hear fans cheering for him is “really great,” she said.

“He gets to be part of something big,” she said.

Shannon Chilcott and Destiny Benson, two fans in the Derby High School crowd, are part of the Circle of Friends mentoring program that matches regular-education students with special-needs students.

“We’re just here to support our friends,” Chilcott said.

After her first game, Derby player Olivia Tabler strolled over and gave each girl a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

“They’re so much fun. I love just being around them,” Benson said of Olivia and her classmates. “They’re always happy.”

This story was originally published March 9, 2012 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Students compete in ‘Arc Madness’ at southeast Wichita’s Garvey Sports Center."