The Champions Together and Special Olympics Indiana Unified State Championship was held on Saturday, March 15. A group of Cathedral students paired up with Marion North East Special Olympic athletes to participate in the 2025 Unified Bowling State Championship.
The Special Olympics Indiana Bowling State Championship brought together athletes from all across Indiana to compete against 26 different teams. The event emphasized sportsmanship, inclusion, determination and hard work, all while having some fun.
The competition was divided into two divisions, the High School division and the Open division. The High School division consists of both Unified Partners and Unified Athletes whose students attend the school under IHSAA eligibility. The Open division consists of Unified partners who attend the school under IHSAA eligibility, but the Unified Athletes participate in the local community program for Special Olympics.
The athletes and partners participated in Bakers Bowl, which is a round of five games with five people on each team. On each team, there must be two athletes and two partners, while the fifth can be either. In between each game, the athletes and partners got together for a quick dance break. This really brought energy throughout the whole five games.
Cathedral had three teams bowling. Junior Jackson Harvey was one of the 16 Cathedral students participating. He said, “Bowling in State was honestly just a fun time. Watching our scores and excitement heighten every game was awesome. We all went home State Champions that day and that was a great feeling.”
After the event, Champions Together put out an article recapping the weekend. The article stated, “Indianapolis Cathedral rolled a State Championship high of 1994 over the five games to take the Unified Bowling High School Open Division State Championship. This is the first for the Irish and first-year head coach Br. Matt Rehagen.” Not only did Cathedral win this championship, but they set a couple records along the way.
Brother Matt Rehagen, Math educator and Moderator of Champions Together said, “I thought winning the State title was a great privilege to be involved alongside a great group of students and athletes. This championship is a testament to all of the hard work that the students, athletes and volunteers had put in not only this year but for years before.”
Champions Together is a club that anyone can get involved in at any time. Brother Matt said, “I hope this Championship can be a building block to let the club grow into other sports and activities that can raise awareness to many coaches and the student body that this is a great organization and cause to get involved with.”
Br. Matt called on the Cathedral students and said, “If anyone is at all interested in growing, competing, and volunteering, please reach out. We are always looking for more student involvement to raise awareness.”
