Avon High School Backs IHSAA Unified Sports Teams
By: David Woods
Correspondent
AVON -- Success of Unified sports cannot be measured by wins or losses. Yet as far as one mother was concerned, her son came away with the win.
Keegan Lloyd-Schuyler, 15, is a sophomore at Avon High School, which this fall had its first Unified flag football team. Unified sports represent a partnership between Special Olympics and the Indiana High School Athletic Association.
Tara Schuyler, mother of Keegan, said her son rarely speaks but “came out of his shell” while on the team this season. That was manifested at a recent school theater production.
“He sat with his football buddies. He didn’t sit with me,” the mother said. “He sat with his friends.”
That effectively fulfills the mission of Unified flag football.
In this sport, an “athlete” is defined as a student with an intellectual disability or cognitive challenge. A “partner” is a general education student.
It is a coed sport, featuring five players on the field at once. Three must be “athletes” and two “partners.” Passing plays must be athlete-to-partner, partner-to-athlete or athlete-to-athlete. Partners may not pass the football to each other.
Although this year was Avon’s first year with a team, it is the eighth for an IHSAA state tournament.
Avon ended its season with a 38-7 loss to Brownsburg in the sectional championship. In a semifinal, Avon advanced by beating Perry Meridian 64-50.
The head coach is Chris Hill, assisted by Jay Tinder and Emily Lanham. Hill, 41, is a robotics and electronics teacher in his 19th year in Avon schools. He was formerly an assistant football coach for the Orioles.
“The goal of the program is to come together, to learn, to have fun,” Hill said. “It’s equally beneficial for both our athletes and our partners.
“To see the growth the partners went through – in some of the challenges in working with athletes – is just tremendous.”
Avon’s team included five athletes, all boys. The eight partners included two boys and six girls.
One of the girls was Olivia Drosche, a senior softball player. She said she plans to study early education and special education in college.
“It was good learning experience, I think,” she said. “You learn how to help other people who need a little extra help. Also, playing yourself at the same time.”
Her favorite parts of the games, she said, were at the end when players from each team were given chances to score touchdowns.
For the athletes, Avon’s MVP was sophomore Christian Kambleh, who is also on the Unified track team. He led the team in touchdowns. On defense, he said, his favorite assignment was “get the quarterback.”
One unanticipated outcome of the program, Hill said, was how “over-the-moon happy” the parents were for their sons and daughters. The partners could not have been more gracious or caring, Schuyler said, or the coaches more supportive.
“There wasn’t tension you have like a rivalry,” the mother said. “Everyone cheers for everyone’s kids.”
Keegan has long been athletic and was also on Avon’s Unified track team. He won the team spirit award.
“He really enjoys playing sports and being out with his friends,” his mother said. “We really saw him flourish this season.”
Contact David Woods at dwoods1411@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007
Photo Credit: Scott Paciorek
“The goal of the program is to come together, to learn, to have fun.”
Head Coach Chris Hill