In just twenty months since the launch of the Allen Sports Club, the Warriors won the NBA Championship, Marin native Jared Goff was picked first overall in the NFL Draft, and local legend Nic Epstein burst onto the scene. 
 
Over 400 different kids have participated in the Allen Sports Club in that time. Yet, when it comes to discipline, resilience, and commitment, Nic leads the pack, setting the Allen Sports Club attendance record at 65 days ... and counting.
 
As one of the first participants ever, Epstein forged his own path, and along with his friends, formed the first core group of Allen Sports Club regulars. Together, they represent a growing number of student-athletes with disabilities making their mark throughout Marin. 
 
"While the Allen Sports Club may not have specifically set out to serve this particular population, it's become a fabulous fit for everyone involved." Nic's mom Judith shares, "In addition to the athletic aspects, the social aspects are huge. The more interaction he has with peers, the better off he is and hopefully they are as well."
 
Nic's passion for sports developed while playing little league baseball as a young boy. But after a few years, he shied away from team sports in favor of more individual sports like swimming and biking. In 2012, he began actively participating in Project Awareness and Special Sports (PAASS), a Mill Valley non-profit providing opportunities for youth with developmental delays and learning differences to play sports. PAASS Founder and Executive Director Tyler Barbee shares, "I'm always amazed at Nic's focus. He's a quiet guy, but once you get to know him, he has a very vibrant personality. I've seen him develop and gain confidence over the years so now he leads drills for the younger kids. It's amazing to see it come full circle."
 
Epstein then joined the basketball team at Star Academy before transferring to Sir Francis Drake High School last year as a sophomore. As it turns out, basketball is Nic's favorite sport and the flagship sport for the Drake Pirates. When it didn't work out for him to play on the uber-competitive Drake junior varsity team, he became the student-manager. However, as March Madness rolled around, first-year head coach Russell Bauer offered Nic a jersey to suit up for the last home game. When the time came for him to check into the game with minutes remaining against cross-town rival San Rafael, Epstein was ready. 
 
Shot after shot rained down on the rim, just missing time and again. With less than ten seconds left, Nic's teammate rebounded a stray shot and passed across the court (with an assist from a San Rafael player) to the waiting sharpshooter, who launched one more shot as time expired. Finally, with the buzzer blaring, the ball fell through the net as his teammates mobbed him in delight. The video went viral. Positive Coaching Alliance caught wind of the sportsmanship exhibited by both teams and invited them to receive the Humanitarian Award at their annual banquet.
 
Judith reflects, "Being a part of the team allowed him to get to know a small group of people and find his niche on a huge campus of 1,100 students. Now, he has this whole group of popular student-athletes who know him, say hi, and look out for him around campus. He even went to off-campus lunch with some of the basketball players last week."
 
"When you think about being part of the school community, athletics play a really big role in that," says Drake Athletics Director Nate Severin. "There was always a gap there for our students with disabilities to get involved. Unified Sports have helped close that gap, with many high schools in the East Bay fielding full teams and leagues for student-athletes with disabilities to compete in athletics. However, with Marin schools just beginning to explore and build similar programs from scratch, our students with disabilities not only get to compete amongst themselves, they also get to compete alongside their mainstream peers. It's created more community spirit and empowered everyone — spectators and participants alike." 
 
"At the end of the day, if they don't learn anything about how to shoot a basketball or how to hit a baseball, I don't think it matters," adds Barbee. "What matters is that they are part of a team. Nic's athletic achievements are a direct reflection of that. Once people become aware of all the incredible talents they possess, barriers break away and they are presented with opportunities to succeed." 
 
In the spring, Epstein took full advantage of the Unified offerings to tackle a new challenge — track and field. In the Unified format, Nic was paired with one of Drake's best student-athletes in each event. As the duos worked together, their marks in the 100 meter dash and long jump were enough to earn Nic and his partners a spot at the legendary NCS Meet of Champions on the UC Berkeley campus.
 
Judith beams, "Sure there were ribbons and medals and a world-class stadium, but the sweetest thing was that his mainstream partners in each event both came out to spend an entire Saturday competing with Nic in Berkeley. I was touched that they took the time to follow through on their commitment to him and the Unified Sports program." 
 
Outside of sports, Nic's career goals revolve around filmmaking. This past summer, he helped broadcast a few San Rafael Pacifics games through the Community Media Center of Marin. He's also now in a communications class at Drake where he will film the varsity basketball games this year. However, with his newfound confidence in his expanding basketball abilities, he may be busy during those games.
 
After a wild time celebrating his buzzer beater in the raucous Drake gym, Nic settled into the silence of the car for the ride home and told Mom, "I think I better try out for varsity next year."