The Unified Flag Football team will be recognized for their State Championship win at the boys home basketball game on Friday February 21, when they get their championship rings.
The Unified Flag Football team won their first ever State Championship, on October 19, 2024. After losing the Regional Championship during the previous two years, the team’s triumph has been a long time coming, full of wins, losses, and unforgettable experiences.
Unified Sports is a program that combines both general education and special education students into a competing sports team. These sports include Flag Football, Bocce ball, Basketball, Bowling, and Track & Field.
Students with disabilities are called athletes, and students without disabilities are partners. General education students who don’t want to participate, but still want to be a part of the team are managers.
“The focus goes beyond just the competition; it’s about teamwork, respect, and forming lasting friendships while ensuring every athlete has a valuable experience through training and competition,” said Brandi Leming, the head coach of Carroll’s Unified sports.
Leming has been the head coach of the team for the past few years. She initially took the position simply because it was available.
“I never thought of myself as a coach because, as an athlete, I was always highly competitive… Fortunately, we’ve built an environment where athletes are challenged to grow, all while emphasizing sportsmanship and enjoyment. Now, I couldn’t imagine not being part of it,” said Leming.
The team had six coaches this year, consisting of Brandi Leming, Tim Hoot, Vincent Bane, Jacob Reynolds, Corbin Wilson, and Tommy O’Neil.
The team has both JV and Varsity teams, with only Varsity playing in the state championship. Junior Olivia Hoch, the only girl on the Varsity team, shared her favorite thing about the Unified program.
“My favorite thing is seeing the kids so happy, like whenever they score a point or catch a ball, the simplest things make them so happy and that’s why I do it, because it’s so fun and you can just see how they light up,” said Hoch.
The team had practice after school outside of the softball field for four days a week. During practice, the Varsity team would run routes to work on their plays, while the JV team practiced on more of the basics of the game.
The Chargers worked hard to win their championship, but practice isn’t the only thing that earned their victory.
“There were times when things didn’t go as planned, but instead of getting frustrated, the team maintained their composure and kept their focus on the goal. That resilience and determination to stay focused made all the difference,” Leming said.
Echoing after each play in every game, “next play” was a phrase the team used to keep this mindset going on the field. The term was used by Hoot to remind a player to let go of the mistake and move forward.
“(It) was our way of reassuring them, letting them know we were all in this together, and encouraging them to stay focused and keep pushing forward,” said Leming.
And push forward they did, The Chargers won against Homestead in a close match of 33-32 at Sectionals. From there they went on to Regionals and finally defeated Dekalb 34-30 after two years of defeat.
Then came the State Championship against Carmel High School, who won the game the year before. Carroll was ahead the whole game until the last two and a half minutes of the second half, when Carmel scored and took the lead, 40-37.
“We were on the fourth down and I was like, oh I think we’re done. I did not think that we were gonna catch the last pass,” said Hoch.
But with their next play mindset, the Chargers didn’t fret at the sudden change in game.
One 39-yard pass from senior Micah Livingston to senior Isaac Chapman brought the team right back into the game. A final point scored by senior Vinny Bane led the team to their winning score of 44-40.
“It was really surreal,” said Hoch. “Everybody was so happy… and to make it the furthest you could, that was cool.”
Meanwhile, the upcoming Unified Track & Field season starts March 17th. Last track season, the Unified team lost by only a few points at Sectionals.
“I have high expectations for the upcoming season, and I’m counting on the team to bring strong drive and determination. Last year, we came up just a few points short of reaching regionals, and I truly believe that near-miss will inspire the team to push harder and make it past sectionals this year,” said Leming.
Hoch had similar hopes.
“I’m excited to go further than what we did last year because we didn’t make it out of sectionals, so hopefully this is our year to go to state and win it.” she said.
The Unified team is always looking for new members to join. It’s a very positive community that creates lasting memories for all who participate.
“If you’re considering joining Unified or Champions, I encourage you to take the leap—” said Coach Leming. “It’s an experience like no other… You’ll see the power of inclusion in action, where every person’s effort is valued and makes a difference.”
