After many months of dedicated practice, two New Hope Knights teams recently competed in the Special Olympics NY Buffalo Bowl.

Jason, Neal, Mo, and Vinny gave us the inside scoop on what it was like to hit the field at Highmark Stadium. Read along below to learn more about their experience!

Q: What was your training like leading up to the Buffalo Bowl?

A: Every Wednesday night, we had two-hour practices to learn plays and did a lot of running to get in shape. We also played scrimmages and practiced turning our hips to move the flags out of reach.

Q: What moments during the Buffalo Bowl stand out the most for you — on or off the field?

A: Staying competitive and focused in the Bills locker room and just the whole behind-the-scenes experience — running through the tunnel and seeing the entire stadium, and getting touchdowns. Playing on the same field as a professional team isn’t something everyone gets to say they’ve done, so it was a dream come true.

Q: How did it feel to represent New Hope on such a big stage?

A: We felt excited and proud. The Yellow Team was featured on the news in Buffalo, and that was really cool.

Q: What was the best part about getting to spend the weekend off campus with your teammates?

A: For some of us, it was our first time being off campus or away from family. It was nice to have fun with everyone and spend time by the pool. Also, the bar had good Pepsi.

Q: What did you learn or take away from this experience that you’ll carry into the future?

A: We gained a renewed passion for the game and physical fitness. It also taught us to keep going no matter what.

The team also wanted to thank Coach Braydon and all their support staff for making this unforgettable experience possible.