All in, all heart, Redmond High’s Unified Sports Team is changing the game
REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- “I love this class right now. I mean—oh my people—okay, my friends, If you're watching this. I love you, okay? I love you, GUYS! Whoa.”
If it wasn’t already clear, Jasmine is absolutely thrilled to be in her Unified Sports class at Redmond High School. And she’s not alone.
Her classmate and teammate, Daniel, agrees wholeheartedly: “So much fun. You get to have fun with your friends. With your teammates.”
Unified Sports is more than just a class — it’s a movement. It brings together athletes with and without intellectual disabilities to train, compete and grow as one team. It’s all about inclusion, friendship and creating equal opportunities in sports and beyond.
In Central Oregon, 10 high schools and five middle schools proudly support Unified teams. At Redmond High, the program is coached and led by the passionate duo Angela Capps and Amy Nickell.
“It is the true meaning of inclusion,” says Nickell. “We get to see friendships grow and barriers fall every single day. It’s just super-cool!”
Kaleb Losoya, a Panther basketball player, has been a partner athlete with Redmond Unified for years.
“I really love Unified because I love all the kids,” he says. “It’s about hanging out, playing sports, and showing that everyone belongs. It’s just a lot of fun.”
Classmate Bubba agrees — and says Unified Sports is the reason he looks forward to school.
“Man, it’s been some of the most fun I’ve ever had in high school. It’s important, because it helps people feel included — and that’s something the world really needs more of.”
For coaches Capps and Nickell, the impact goes far beyond the scoreboard.
“Outside the classroom, these kids are making lifelong memories and building lifelong friendships,” says Capps.
“They are learning compassion, they’re leading with heart, and they are taking it all to the next level," Nickell added.
This past winter, Redmond Unified placed third in the state basketball tournament in McMinnville. Now in the spring season, they’re switching gears to kickball and track.
Their next kickball matchup? A can't-miss showdown against Ridgeview on Friday.
