LONG ISLAND CITY, Queens (PIX11) -- There’s a new push to help more than a thousand New York City students with mental and physical disabilities across the city participate in after-school athletics, allowing them to play sports with all students.

Deenesh Nanirem, 17, is a student at the Riverview School in Long Island City. He’s a straight-A student but a little shy. But he is anything but shy on the basketball court, thanks to a new program run by the Special Olympics.

Nanirem plays center for his high school basketball team, the Riverview Otters. He’s 6'1", and he’s a natural. 

His coach Kevin McElroy said, believe it or not, Nanirem started playing just last year. McElroy said he has immediately seen a change in Nanirem. In just a year, he had grown into a champion and look at that smile.

Thanks to a new partnership between the Special Olympics, New York and NYC Public Schools launched this past spring, making it happen. Hundreds of students get a chance to play, bringing unified sports to all students with disabilities. Unified Sports is when students with and without disabilities form mixed sports teams.

This year was the first time Nanirem could play on a unified team, something he has always wanted to do but never had the chance to do.

Now, dozens of teams compete against other schools, like any varsity or JV team. This season, students competed in unified basketball and bocce. The program teaches important lessons of teamwork and acceptance on and off the court. 

Schools who want to take part should contact Special Olympics NY at specialolympicsNY.org or unified@nyso.org