Special-needs student nets winning shot in basketball game, high school erupts in cheers

Lainy Fredrickson is a 21-year-old special needs student at Norman High School in Oklahoma, United States of America.

She got involved in her school’s basketball team through a pilot program called Tiger Teammates, which offers kids with special needs the chance to play in school sports.

And last Friday, she scored the winning shot in a match with their rival Norman North.

In the last moments of the game, the commentator announced Fredickson will be entering the match to loud cheers by her schoolmates and spectators.

They chanted and clapped to “Let’s go, Lainy! Let’s go, Lainy!” as she walked onto the court.

When play stopped, Fredrickson was asked to score the final two points of the game.

After six tries, she scored on the seventh try, which made the crowd go wild.

Fredrickson’s mom, Mona Fredrickson, told Buzzfeed that last Friday’s game “melted her heart.”

“A lot of times the kids in high school get a bad rap, but the love was overflowing. They were all pulling for her to make that basket,” she said. “To see the reaction from the crowd and the rival team — they were cheering her on. It was awesome.”

Tiger Teammates was piloted by Brennan Hockett, a senior at Norman High who got the idea from her family’s involvement with the Special Olympic’s programme.

“Lainy has a great personality and great sense of humor,” Hockett said to BuzzFeed. “I think people need to realize people with special needs can do everything we can do — it just may take them longer or take more explanation.”

The most inspiring basketball shot you'll see, thanks to Lainy Fredrickson. https://t.co/rQtFvO3rLC

— espnW (@espnW) February 4, 2017

Mona Fredrickson also shared that her daughter’s teammates treat her like one of them. “The girls love her, and she loves the girls,” she said.

Fredrickson’s inspiring shot has gone beyond her high school’s basketball hall. Many online were touched and excited seeing her make the final shot:

@sportsiren #laineyfredrickson for President!

— Arlene Zamora (@ArleneMpls) February 4, 2017

https://twitter.com/john_grant83/status/827763280441585666

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