This year’s unified track team took 2nd out of six teams at the Erie County Track and Field Championships: Fort LeBoeuf, General McLane, Northwestern  (two teams), and Fairview. Last year they came in 4th.

Anyone can join the unified track team. The events are the 100 meter dash, 400 meter dash, 800 meter dash, adaptive javelin, adaptive shot put, the 4×1, and the 4×4.

The two coaches, Ms. Walls and Ms. Pound, answered a question on how they thought the season went.

Ms. Walls said, “They’ve all worked really hard this year, and we had a great group of kids that worked their hardest.”

Ms. Pound, “I think the team did a very good job and gave their all on the field even when they had a lot going on. They formed a good little community that was fun to see.” 

The team’s roster consists of four seniors: Austyn Benninger, Taylor Miles (partner), Damon Crouch, and Colton Eckerdt (partner); five juniors: Tyson Proper (partner), Dana Long, Emma Murdock, Matthew Kocol, and Ava Gunderson (partner); seven sophomores: Matthew McDonald, Ryan Mathers, Kyleigh Artice, Breanna Querreveld (partner), Kenneth Fink, Avery Sontheimer (partner), and Dustin Rose(partner); three freshman: Ethan Artice, Wynter Carnes (partner), and Margo Boucher.

The unified track team was created back in 2018. It is made up of kids with and without disabilities in order to bring them friendships and to promote the principal that training together and playing together can lead to friendship and understanding.