MacArthur wins Nassau unified bowling championship in first year
The MacArthur unified bowling team won a Nassau championship in its first season on March 17 at Garden City Lanes. Credit: Vin Causeman
MacArthur had just knocked down the most pins among the four schools in the tournament. This first-year team of Generals, a mix of student-athletes with and without intellectual disabilities, owned a Nassau unified bowling championship.
And there was joy among those 10 boys and four girls on March 17 at Garden City Lanes. That was a rewarding sight for MacArthur’s coach, Vin Causeman.
“To have this group of kids, some of which never had an opportunity to play on a school team, be able to experience something that many high school athletes don’t get to experience, which is winning a championship, it was just amazing to see them so happy and excited and wearing their championship shirts and displaying those medals,” Causeman said. “They were so proud.”
One of those bowlers is Causeman’s daughter, Haley.
“Growing up and playing sports my whole life, being fortunate enough to experience championships, when my children were diagnosed with autism, you always picture them kind of following in your footsteps and possibly playing sports and experiencing that and when you hear that diagnosis, you don’t think they’re going to have that opportunity,” said Causeman, a former player and coach in MacArthur’s baseball program.
“So for her to be able to enjoy this and experience it and for me to be able to be a part of it with her, it was better than probably anything I’ve ever experienced.”
Causeman, who was assisted by Diann Sciulla, credited Levittown district athletic director John Coscia as the person behind establishing the team. It finished first in the regular season, going 5-0 and having the most pins.
“So we were placed in the top division with the top four teams [for the tournament],” Causeman said.
Austin Chae stood out among the Generals from the start through the postseason.
“But it was really a team effort,” Causeman said. “There were bowlers, both the bowlers with special needs and their typical peers, they really stepped up in the finals.”
