Class of 19 Shelby Hunemiller: Fair Game for Everyone

Fair Game for Everyone

Shelby Hunemiller ’19 wants to make sure all youth have a chance to enjoy participating in sports, regardless of their abilities. Hunemiller is senior program administrator for Kinetic Kids in San Antonio, Texas, a non-profit organization providing adapted sports and fine arts programming for children and teens with disabilities.

“My role focuses on helping families find a program that will best support their child’s needs in being active and having a community,” said Hunemiller. “I manage a staff of 13 who assist me with sports and equipment management for the 30 programs we run each year. We provide support for physical, occupational and recreation therapists, as well as coaches, by giving them necessary sports equipment and modifications so that children with disabilities can participate in sports like their peers.”

Hunemiller, who participated in cross country and track and field at Simpson, gained inspiration for her calling after taking a special populations class as part of her exercise science degree.. She fueled her newfound passion by earning a master’s degree in adapted physical activity at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania, where she learned how to modify sport and exercise for people with disabilities.

“There I got hands on experience trying out different para sports, providing fitness and nutrition classes to highschoolers with intellectual disabilities, coaching bocce ball for Special Olpympicsand volunteering to help visually impaired athletes through Vision Blind Sports.”

Hunemiller, who recently became a natural pro bodybuilder, hopes to become an adapted sports director and start her own personal training business for individuals with disabilities. Simpson has already played a big part in seeing her vocational dreams come true.

“Simpson provided me with a close-knit community of friends who I am still close with today, as well as professors who cared about my future endeavors. In particular, the exercise science staff helped guide me in finding a field of work I was interested in and supported me along the way.”