Northport Middle School students had the unique opportunity to play and hear from motivational amputee basketball team AMP1 on Jan. 12 and 13. Throughout the two days, the team spoke to gym classes and played three basketball games against students on Jan. 13.
AMP1 is the only organized traveling team of amputees playing stand-up basketball in the country with a mission to motivate, educate and inspire others. The team consists of players from all across the country that have overcome lower limb amputations caused by various circumstances.
The team played a basketball game with students from each grade level. These included a game against the school’s sixth-graders and seventh- and eighth-grade boys’ basketball teams. Students cheered the teams on as they ran up and down the court in the school gymnasium. AMP1 made it a priority to hype the crowd up throughout the games.
AMP1 player and Long Island native, Robert Anthony Rodriguez gave the crowd high-fives and got students excited about each game.
“It feels amazing to be able to come out and inspire others,” he said. “The kids are loving it and we are really enjoying getting them hyped up.”
Photo Captions:
Sixth-graders from Northport Middle School played a fun game of basketball against the AMP1 basketball team on Jan. 13.
Photos courtesy of the Northport-East Northport School District
