Hoogland told ABC affiliate WZZM in Grand Rapids, Michigan that she hadn't planned on making a throw. “I was like, whoa, I did not expect that,” she said. \"And then the applause!\"

Students from both Zeeland East and Zeeland West High School witnessed Hoogland’s electrifying shot, part of an inclusive basketball game with zLinks. Both schools participate in zLinks, which according to the program’s website, pairs special education students with general education student mentors.

Zeeland Public Schools Superintendent Brandi Lyn Mendham told “GMA” in a statement that they’ve seen a positive outcome with the zLinks program. The program \"is an absolute point of pride in our system. We are grateful for the way this program has impacted our students across the district as it represents the best of what Zeeland has to offer: compassion, opportunities, and relationships,“ Mendham said.

Nathan VandeGuchte, a special education teacher with Zeeland West, added that inclusive sports has made a significant impact on students at Zeeland schools. “The positive and enthusiastic environment our student body created on Tuesday is something our athletes won't forget!” VandeGuchte told “GMA” in a statement. “The lens with which many of our special education students are viewed has now been forever changed. They know that they are important, and they recognize that they are contributing members of our student body!

“Jules has worked so hard over the years at getting the feel for that shot,\" VandeGuchte added. \"It was so moving to see her hit that shot again in front of 2,500 people. We couldn't have been more excited for her and her family. It capped off what was a very memorable day for all of us!”

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/GMA/Living/watch-crowd-reacts-blind-basketball-player-makes-free/story?id=83668563","legacySlug":"/living/story/watch-crowd-reacts-blind-basketball-player-makes-free-83668563","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"16:56","publishDate":"03-25-2022","updatedTime":"13:27","updatedDate":"11-22-2022","socialImage":{"alt":"Zeeland East High School student Jules Hoogland sunk a free throw in a basketball game, March 22, 2022, in Zeeland, Mich.","credit":"Brandy Navetta/Zeeland Public Schools","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/basketball-1-ht-er-220325_1648225730074_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"3/25/2022 16:56:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":83668563,"headline":"Blind basketball player nails shot in viral video","mediaAssetTitle":"GMA_Blind basketball player makes shot_220325","description":"High school junior Jules Hoogland wowed the crowd at a home game this week.","duration":"0:24","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2022/03/220325_gma_digital_silentbasketball_1_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["78850308","76422209","81360399"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"July 14, 2021","headline":"High school cancer survivor scores buzzer beater","section":"news","slug":"/video/78850308","id":78850308,"image":{"alt":"High school cancer survivor scores buzzer beater","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/WNT/210714_wn_ender_hpMain_1x1_240.jpg","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1"}},{"contentType":"video","date":"March 12, 2021","headline":"Student with Down syndrome makes amazing final shot of basketball game","section":"news","slug":"/video/76422209","id":76422209,"image":{"alt":"Student with Down syndrome makes amazing final shot of basketball game","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/US/210312_abc_social_basketball_hpMain_1x1_240.jpg","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1"}},{"contentType":"video","date":"November 25, 2021","headline":"8-year-old’s basketball skills are next level ","section":"living","slug":"/video/81360399","id":81360399,"image":{"alt":"8-year-old’s basketball skills are next level ","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/211125_gma_digital_basketball_hpMain_1x1_240.jpg","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1"}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"Blind basketball player nails shot in viral video","description":"High school junior Jules Hoogland wowed the crowd at a home game this week.","duration":"0:24","uploadDate":"03-25-2022","publication":"03-25-2022","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2022/03/220325_gma_digital_silentbasketball_1_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2022/03/220325_gma_digital_silentbasketball_1_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/living/story/watch-crowd-reacts-blind-basketball-player-makes-free-83668563"}},"playlist":[{"id":"133358298","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133350119","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133307515","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133307527","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133282665","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133220149","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133179167","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133144373","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133144059","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133143081","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133075455","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133063114","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133063086","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133015093","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132998564","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132998072","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132977374","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132977531","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132962364","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132958371","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:living:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"living","title":"Blind basketball player nails shot in viral video","pubTime":"12:56","pubDate":"03-25-2022","modTime":"08:27","modDate":"11-22-2022","taxonomyTags":"none","id":83668563,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"Blind basketball player nails shot in viral video","mediaAssetTitle":"GMA_Blind basketball player makes shot_220325","videoId":83668563,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/living/story/watch-crowd-reacts-blind-basketball-player-makes-free-83668563"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/83668563","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/83668563","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};