As the season remains ongoing, the “Panther Pride” Special Needs Athletic Program continues to serve as an opportunity for special needs students to experience known high school activities across the campus. With each competition and practice, student athletes demonstrate sportsmanship and passion for representing their school.

“For the specialities program, I also host community awareness,” Coach Anthony Ruttenberg said. “I host district-wide events and just any other activities that I can put together for the special community.”

Panther Pride is a specialty organization that promotes inclusivity for special needs students to be involved through sports, social events and overall, engagement with their school community. The goal is to provide a safe and welcoming environment for students with disabilities.

“This is the only school in PISD that offers this,” Ruttenberg said. “My hope is that eventually it would become a district wide thing to where each school has it.”

This specialties program was established in 2007 by Coach Tommy Guynes who had originally served as Plano East’s Special Olympics Team. Since the beginning, the goal was to provide special needs students  the opportunity to participate in athletics and experience the journey in team sports. In 2014, Coach Guynes passed his leadership of the program to Ruttenberg, marking the beginning of the new chapter. 

“It started long before me,” Ruttenberg said. “I took over 12 years ago and just helped it grow. I changed the way that we do it and made it more inclusive.”

Under Ruttenberg’s guidance, the program expanded and reached new levels of success. By actively seeking out new opportunities for his students, he ensures that they receive a high school experience as his leadership centers around the idea of fostering a campus environment where students with special needs are fully able to participate into the standard high school narrative.

“My son has autism,” Ruttenberg said. “As he was growing, I wanted to learn more about special needs so I went back to college and got my degree. I created things that I would want him to have and the other special needs kids can have it too.”

Student-athletes in the program would be recognized in Olympics events along with higher-level competitions. In Feb 2024, Panther Pride basketball players competed in the Frisco Fieldhouse Special Olympics individual Skills Competition, bringing home gold, silver and bronze medals. The students promote confidence, inclusion and school spirit while creating lasting memories. As the school year continues, with growing participation, the program remains a powerful example of what it means to be a panther.

“One of my goals was getting to know them,” senior team manager Cadence Vo said. “All their personalities, strengths and kind of getting more involved in the process. I just make sure if they need any help, I’m there for them.”

The booster clubs at Panther Pride are run by the parents of students that are participating in the games. The group serves as an essential support system by promoting and fundraising. Their primary role is to maintain the funds and ensure the program can continue to host district-wide events and provide resources that their students can participate in. For example, the program hosts their annual Valentine’s Day district-wide sensory dance, an inclusive celebration designed to be accessible and welcoming to all students. 

“I’ve seen a lot of growth,” Vo said. “At times where I didn’t think I could be able to do something, like watching them being able to accomplish things helps me a lot. If they can do it, then I can.”

According to the official Panther Pride, In 2023, Plano Mayor John B. Muns officially designated April 14 as Special Needs Community Awareness Day, a major achievement through the dedicated advocacy of Ruttenberg. Since April is Autism Awareness month,Ruttenberg was able to hold a city-wide celebration as an annual tradition to promote diversity among the Plano community. The day features a signature charity basketball game between Panther Pride and the Plano Police Department alongside food vendors, various inflatable obstacles courses and crafting stations. This event is unique because it transitions from school campus into a city-wide celebration that unites the high-point awareness of neurodiversity. 

“Every year, [students] reach out to me asking to be on the schedule,” Ruttenberg said. “We create more and more games because more clubs would love to participate.”

During the season, Panther Pride athletes compete against Academic Decathlon, Debate team, administrators and athletic programs such as cheerleaders, tennis, basketball and volleyball players. Each event showed enthusiasm and a strong sense of unity that defines Panther Pride. These competitions emphasized encouragement and with students and staff cheering one another on and celebrating effort. The supportive atmosphere allowed the team  to build confidence while forming meaningful connections with peers from different programs across campus. 

“I found out about the program from my sister,” Vo said. “She was the previous team manager and I found out that they didn’t have many student volunteers.”

Students have the opportunity to get involved in volunteering for the program. During the basketball season, students can gain service hours by simply attending the games. Students bring their own posters and spirited energy to the bleachers. By cheering on their peers and participating in organized halftime activities, these students volunteer to help foster a positive atmosphere that motivates the student athletes.  

  “I just make sure the games go smoothly,” Vo said. “If we’re missing some people or someone needs me to fill in, I do that. I do a lot of outreach within the program.”

The program bridges connections between different student groups, involving empathy and lifelong friendships. Panther Pride continues to remain as a shining impact towards the students and teachers involved.

“The main thing is just seeing the joy on their face,” Ruttenberg said. “Some of these parents, they never experienced a child going to a dance or participating in a game, and so just being able to give them that and see the smile on their faces, that’s like the greatest joy of it all.”