Spectators jump up from their seats, the large groups in maroon, white, red, and blue call out in encouragement to both teams on the court. An entire arena of fans celebrate each team and every point with the utmost amount of enthusiasm.
Ankeny High School (AHS) is known for having highly competitive sports, it’s a huge part of the school’s culture. Unified teams allow students with disabilities to be included and have a sense of belonging.
“It’s really awesome because none of the students in our unified teams would be able to play at a level that’s competitive at Ankeny because our sports programs are so great,” P.E. and Physical Education Opportunity Provided for Exceptional Learners (PEOPEL) P.E. teacher Ashely McCoy said. “So we’re just giving everybody an opportunity to compete and feel celebrated and included.”…