The number of participants continues to grow.

And this Arizona Interscholastic Association entity is about to receive a six-figure grant.

But the numbers only begin to tell the story of Unified Sports, a program created in 2011 by the AIA and Special Olympics Arizona for student athletes with intellectual disabilities. A couple of other states have similar programs in place and have been around longer than the AIA’s Unified Sports, but Arizona’s Unified Sports has become the largest organization of its kind and the model other state associations are emulating.

Of the 195 AIA schools eligible to participate in Unified Sports, 105 schools have students competing in five different sports, earning varsity letters just like their fellow schoolmates. To show its commitment to Unified Sports, the AIA amended its bylaws so it could incorporate Unified Sports.

The AIA also hired a coordinator to run Unified Sports, Scott Brown, a former district athletic director for Paradise Valley as well as Phoenix North Canyon’s former AD.

“Without them (AIA’s leadership, Special Olympics Arizona) being on the same page, this thing would have never gone as far it has in such a short time,” Brown said. “The centerpiece of this program is inclusion.”

Some Unified Sports athletes get to compete and travel on the same days as their peers competing in AIA sports.

More and more students are learning about Unified Sports and are reaching out to volunteer or participate in Unified Sports activities. The program allows non-disabled peers to stay on the field in some events, working side by side with their Unified Sports partners.

At the end of the school year, the AIA celebrates the achievements of a Unified Sports member and partner, giving them the Unified Sports and Partner of the Year Nick Sundberg awards. Sundberg is the Washington Redskins’ long snapper and a former North Canyon student. He has donated money and time to help Unified Sports grow in Arizona. The Arizona Department of Health Services was so impressed with the strides Unified Sports has made that it recently awarded the program a grant for $442,000.

The money will go toward helping address the health care needs of the members of Unified Sports, support teachers who teach health and wellness and stipends for coaches who train athletes of Unified Sports.

“The impact of (Unified Sports) will be far greater than anybody can imagine,” said Tim Martin, the CEO of Special Olympics Arizona. “It will change society. It will give a perspective that our kids are gifts and each carry a unique set of skills that will help them become viable employees, good friends and great members of society. Our high school students will grow to be leaders, and the exposure and inclusion of our athletes will increase.”

The high school district that has carried the Unified Sports baton the furthest so far is Chandler.

Jessica Peacock, a cheer coach for Unified Sports and a special education teacher at Chandler High, has spearheaded the Chandler District’s Unified Sports efforts. About 90 kids in Peacock’s district are participating in five sports, including flag football, basketball and track and field. “It was an amazing opportunity to get involved in this program,” Peacock said. “It’s helping build diversity in all of our schools and helping our (Unified Sports) students build their confidence outside of the classroom. “Our student partners have been absolutely fabulous. We actually had to turn away some students who wanted to help us because we have so many student partners already.”

The high school teams that reach the Division I football championship game at University of Phoenix Stadium won’t be the only teams that will play on that field this month. A couple of Unified Sports teams also will get to play a game during halftime of the Division I game. What a great stage for such a great group.

For more information on Unified Sports go here.

(Photos: Unified Sports teams and their partners compete in different sports throughout the school year. Photos were provided by Unified Sports cheer coach Jessica Peacock of Chandler High.)