When we think of Catholic values in sports, inclusion rises to the very top: Everyone should have a chance to play.

Of course, when we think of summer in the Rockaways, the beach may come to mind first, but the annual St. Francis de Sales Summer Basketball Classic is right up there as a community staple.

So combining inclusion with the Summer Classic has led to the creation of a Special Athletes Division within the tournament. This is the division’s second year, and it’s been extremely well received by the basketball community.

The division began with an idea from Joe Featherston, a parishioner at St. Francis de Sales, Belle Harbor, who founded the St. Camillus, Rockaway Park, Special Olympics sports program in 1996.

Though the Special Olympics season typically runs from Labor Day through the end of June, the group’s involvement with the Rockaway Little League sparked the momentum to think about playing in the Summer Classic.

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“They enjoy it so much — wearing the uniforms, sitting on the bench together — I saw that joy,” said Featherston, who has coached in the Summer Classic on many occasions. “It rekindled my passion for seeing young people having fun, being with teammates, and playing in front of fans.

“Special Olympics had so much fun with the baseball, and I’m seeing how people are having fun every night with the Summer Classic; why not get our athletes involved?”

As some competitive hoops action dominated the St. Francis schoolyard — thanks to the support of pastor Father Bill Sweeney and pastoral associate Father Jim Cunningham — the indoor gymnasium was the site for four nights of games for the Special Athletes Division. A total of 41 athletes competed on two teams, with plenty of substitutions to ensure everyone received equal playing time.

Ages ranged from 3 years old through the 50s. The teams wore uniforms sponsored by the division’s referee, Skippy Doyle’s Basketball Clinic, and the Phil Hughes family in memory of Hughes’ deceased nephew William. The athletes sat on the bench, followed the clock, and fed off the fans’ energy, all adding to the traditional feel of the Summer Classic.

“They had so much fun last year that we brought it back for this year,” Featherston said. “The parents, the athletes, and the community all seem to enjoy the activities immensely.”

For each game, Doyle ensured that every participant made at least one basket. No one focuses on the score. Instead, it’s all about creating lasting memories for these athletes of all capabilities under the umbrella of the most historic basketball gathering down on the peninsula.

“These young people deserve to be part of this tradition that goes back 41 years,” Featherston said. “It’s part of their acceptance into the community at large that they’re regular athletes who can compete and who can have fun in an event that hundreds and hundreds of athletes — we have about 1,200 this year alone — have played in.

“Almost every kid on the peninsula has participated at some point in the Summer Classic at some level. Any basketball fan looks forward to seeing these games. We’re also now part of that fabric.”

Playing in the classic has capped off an exciting year for these Special Olympians. They truly enjoyed their season following Brooklyn Bishop Robert Brennan’s decision to keep St. Camillus Parish — home of the Special Olympics for 30 years — open for both Mass and athletic activities, while appointing a new full-time administrator, Father James Kuroly.

“Joe and his athletes have been an integral part of the Rockaway community for a long time,” said Summer Classic tournament director Keith Goldberg. “They have taught all of us, particularly our young people, so much about life, dignity, and joy. We are so happy for them to be a part of the summer classic now, and the gym is packed whenever they play.”

None of this would happen without the group of volunteer coaches: Ray Otton; Patti, Patrick, and Theresa Trainor; Cathy and John Tipaldo; Jay Burke; Bill Armstrong; Deirdre Roberts; Nicole Printz; Russell Hauk; Amber Walters; Christine Parchment; and Jay Byrne.

For basketball players in the Rockaways, the summer classic is part of their sports identity. Now, thanks to Featherston and the Special Olympics volunteers, another 40-plus athletes of all abilities share in that same hoops identity.

This division shows inclusion at its finest and adds another memorable chapter in the summer classic’s storied history.