Bishop John Noonan | Diocese of Orland website

Bishop Moore Catholic High School and Morning Star Catholic School have joined forces to form a Unified Team that recently secured regional and state championships in track and field. This marks the first time the team has achieved such success, highlighting their commitment to teamwork and inclusion.

The Unified Team consists of students from both schools, participating in events sponsored by the Florida High School Athletic Association and Special Olympics. These events aim to promote social inclusion by bringing together athletes with and without intellectual disabilities for shared sports training and competition.

Carolista Ware, coach for the Unified Team, explained that two districts select the top 10 to 12 teams for the regional meet, resulting in approximately 22 teams competing in the region. The top eight teams from this meet advanced to the state competition held at Lake Minneola High School on April 29, 2025. After establishing themselves last year with a regional win but falling short at state level, this year's team demonstrated determination and hard work to achieve victory.

“These athletes have worked together since February to represent teamwork and unity,” Ware wrote in an email. “This was a collective effort between Morning Star and Bishop Moore campuses. It took hard work and the discipline to focus on practices and be dedicated. As coaches we focused on emphasizing the importance of following routines. We encouraged the athletes to embrace challenges, focus on the process, not just the outcome. These athletes met the challenges of competition and celebrated each other’s successes as one team unified.”

Unified Track is recognized as a Varsity level sport by both sponsoring organizations.