MOORESVILLE, Ind. (WTHR) - Mooresville senior Hannah Hopkins has played basketball since first grade.
But when she got to high school, she discovered a passion for a few other sports as well.
As a sophomore, Hannah and her friends decided to go out for unified track and field.
“At first, I was skeptical because I didn’t know what it was,” Hannah admits.
Unified sports is a way for students with and without intellectual disabilities to compete together on the same team.
Hannah fell in love with it and later got involved in unified flag football and unified bowling as well.
“It’s probably had the biggest impact on my high school career.”
This past fall, Hannah and the Mooresville unified flag football team went undefeated and captured their first state championship.
While she loves the game of basketball, Hannah admits unified sports has a special place in her heart.
“Unified is my favorite. It’s rewarding to see them excel. Here, it’s exciting, but it’s more rewarding to see them light up because they’re so excited about what they just did.”
Papa John’s is proud to begin a new partnership with WTHR honoring student athletes in Central Indiana via the Student Athlete of the Month program. The Student Athlete of the Month program honors well rounded central Indiana high school students who have demonstrated excellence in athletics, academics, or clubs/ co-curricular school related hobbies. Monthly winners receive a $500 scholarship funded by Papa John’s and WTHR donated to the winner’s high school in the winner’s name.