Page 7 - 2019-20 Unified Flag Football State Finals Program

Champions Together Initiative
Mooresville Pioneers “It began with a challenge from IHSAA Commissioner Bobby Cox to the 18 members of the IHSAA

Student Advisory Committee (SAC). “I challenged them to find an organization to support on an on-going
Dk. Lt. Name basis so that we could build a legacy of leadership,” recounts Cox. “I wanted them to learn about servant
leadership by going out into their schools and communities and giving back.” The SAC researched not-for-
profit organizations and unanimously recommended that a partnership be formed between the IHSAA and
1 1 Hannah Hopkins
2 2 LeeAnn Hechinger Special Olympics Indiana (SOIN) based on a “mutual love of sports.” The “Champions Together” partnership
was first introduced to the entire IHSAA membership in 2013-14 with the philosophy, “Servant Leadership.
3 3 Abi Grimes Changing Lives.”
4 4 Sydney Foutch
6 6 Isaac Scott Champions Together has experienced exponential growth during the last six years. Most of the IHSAA stu-
7 7 Cole Terry dent leaders readily share that, “I got far more out of Champions Together than any of the Special Olympics
8 8 Caleb Disney athletes,” and that the real significance of the partnership is in the lasting friendships that they have formed.
9 9 Kariden Jones Meanwhile principals continue to share stories of how Champions Together has changed the culture of their
11 11 Jonah Mayse schools. Students with special needs who were often separated from and ridiculed and/or ignored by most
12 12 Olivia Brimmage students, no longer eat lunch alone in the back corner of the cafeteria. Rather they are seen mingling with the
13 13 Joshua Mayse “cool kids” that have become their teammates, friends and advocates.
14 14 Ty Wright
15 15 Maddie Denny Perhaps the most significant legacy of Champions Together will be the adoption of IHSAA Unified Sports®.
16 16 Donovan Adamson The IHSAA now sponsors two sanctioned sports providing students both with and without intellectual
17 17 Colten Westfall disabilities the opportunity to represent their high school in an IHSAA sanctioned activity by participating on
18 18 Peyton Willis a Unified Sports® team with a quality experience of sports training and competition. This IHSAA launched
Front Row (left to right): LeeAnn Hechinger, Olivia Brimmage, Made- 19 19 Luke Fowler Unified Track and Field in 2014 at the suggestion of the SAC and with the enthusiastic endorsement of
lyn Denny, Isaac Scott, Cole Terry, Caleb Disney, Abi Grimes, Kariden 20 20 Miles McGowen Commissioner Cox and a unanimous vote of the Board of Directors. The new sport had only 13 schools
Jones, Hannah Hopkins; Middle Row: Joshua Mayse, Miles McGowen, competing the first year, but that number grew to 94 last spring and is expected to top 100 this year. With the
Ty Wright, Luke Fowler, Jonah Mayse, Donovan Adamson; Back Row:
Brandon Lewin, Jacquie Ingle, Tina Taylor Coaches - Tina Taylor, Brandon Lewin, same overwhelming enthusiasm and support, the IHSAA launched the Unified Flag Football Championship
Jacquie Ingle in 2018-19. Twenty-five teams participated in the sectionals, with the Bedford North Lawrence Stars winning
the inaugural state championship. A guiding principal has been that these sports will have the same rules,
McCutcheon Mavericks trophies and awards as the other 20 IHSAA sports. This has encouraged most participating schools to treat
Unified Sports® like “real” sports and provide Unified athletes and partners with uniforms, highly qualified
coaches and recognition such as varsity letter jackets and championship rings.
Dk. Lt. Name SOIN has been a full partner in Champions Together. They have provided technical support in implement-
ing Unified Sports® based on more than 20 years of experience in Unified Sports. They have also provided
1 1 Zach Branz financial grants to schools that start Unified Sports® programs, paid all costs of IHSAA Unified Sports®
3 3 Cheyenne Myers tournaments, provided more than 180 school assemblies promoting respect and inclusion and sponsored
4 4 Tyler Harshbarger high school state championships in Unified Bocce (4th annual) and Unified Bowling (3rd annual) which are
5 5 Patrick Muldoon intentionally designed to provide competitive opportunities for students with both intellectual and physical
7 7 Kaleigh Singer disabilities.
8 8 Priscilla Bustos-Seloya
9 9 Jenna Lawson While this partnership was born out of the desire to “give back,” we believe that our student athlete leaders
10 10 Megan Merryman have NOT done it FOR those with intellectual disabilities, which implies pity, but rather they have done this
11 11 Kennedy Peckinpaugh WITH them, implying an attitude of respect and friendship. We believe that our athletes, schools and commu-
12 12 James Mallett nities have gained so much more than they ever imagined. Thank you for supporting Champions Together.”
20 20 Ethan Shackelford
24 24 JJ Mallett Lee Lonzo – Champions Together Director
Coaches - Cory Rush, Gina Bunch,
Brianna Accinelli
Pictured (left to right): Cory Rush, Zach Branz, Cheyenne Myers, Gina
Bunch, Patrick Muldoon, Kaleigh Singer, Ethan Shackelford, Megan Mer-
ryman, Tyler Harshbarger, James Mallett, JJ Mallett Not Pictured: Priscilla
Bustos-Deloya, Kennedy Peckinpaugh, Jenna Lawson

6 #FaceOfSportsmanship #IHSAA #FaceOfSportsmanship #IHSAA 7