Jackson Prep and Hartfield Academy softball ‘Play Unified’ for Special Olympics Mississippi
The Hartfield team would go on to win at Jackson Prep 7-4.
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - A unified champion softball showdown took place at Jackson Prep Tuesday night.
Special Olympians as far as Vicksburg came to show their talent off on the mound at the third annual unified high school softball classic.
Both softball teams from Hartfield Academy and Jackson Prep teamed up with the Olympians.
Jackson Prep has hosted it every year, and this year Hartfield softball helped out. The Mudbugs from Vicksburg are one of the best softball team in the nation.
They went to the NIT conference in the Special Olympics and brought home gold medal. Executive director of Special Olympics Mississippi, Monica Daniels, says both teams were “in it to win it.”
“Sports is the vehicle we use to include everyone. And what better way to do that is to go out on a field together and against to compete with and against to win and to have fun," said Daniels. “To see that we’re all more alike than we are different. And that’s why we do it and honestly, you know, when we put medals on the softball players, they get tears in their eyes.”
"Our athletes get kind of use to it, right? And these girls on these softball teams, when we place medals around their neck, gold or silver medal, you can see the joy in their eyes. It’s just fantastic,” she continued.
The players on the field had not just talent, but an immense amount of heart.
The Hartfield team would go on to win at Jackson Prep 7-4.
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