Uni ed Track

Unity on the track

FHS Uni ed Track team members strive to create a supportive environment

Avery Roe roeave000@hsestudents.org Veda Thangudu thangved000@hsestudents.org

Uni ed Track is an Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) varsity sport that treats the season with the same importance and intensity as all other varsity teams. Dean Patrick Schooley has been the head coach for the uni ed track team since the program started in 2015. “We nished second at State last year and won Conference and County, so we have very lo y team goals,” Schooley said. “Seniors have put in hard work for three or more years.” Senior Hayden Lake, an exceptional learner, has been on

the team for four years. He the team for four years. He recalls how the Uni ed Track team performed last year. “It was the rst time in program history that we got the state runner up,” Lake said. “We were also going into state as seventh in the state and we still ended up getting state runner up.” Half of the team receives special services and half of the team does not. Junior Helen Myers has been on the Uni ed Track team for three years. “[Exceptional learners] get a whole lot of enjoyment out of it [like] cheering and being cheered on,” Myers said. According to Maggie Sweeney, assistant coach of Uni ed Track, the students have great attitudes and focus on helping each other throughout the season. Due to moving to Fishers about a year ago, coaching the Uni ed Track team helped her meet new people. “ ey formed pretty tight bonds with each other,” Sweeney said. “I see a lot of students together that look like they’ve been friends for four or ve years, but they say they met in uni ed track this year or last year.” According to Myers, being on the team de nitely helped her social skills, and helped her meet a lot of people she would not have met otherwise. “Everyone supports everybody and it’s really fun to just see everyone working together and helping everybody go at their own pace,” Myers said. Myers believes it has been a great experience being on the team. Additionally, running and being around supportive people has helped her de-stress. At the same time, schoolwork and other extracurricular activities add on to her schedule. “I look [ahead] if I know what I will have to do and try to balance that out over nights,” Myers said. “I try to balance it so I’m not completely overwhelmed one night.” As the school year approaches the end, it is very stressful for Schooley. He has plenty to do as an administrator, adding to his duties as the head coach. “ ings can get pretty hectic,” Schooley said. “I make it a point to nd time to destress and relax as much as I can, but it can be a challenge.” Schooley’s favorite part of the school year is the pure enjoyment that all the team members get from being on the team and watching students challenge themselves with new skills. “Being able to witness the growth of all of our students, watching them compete, but mostly watching them laugh, smile and enjoy each other as teammates [is my favorite part about Uni ed Track],” Schooley said. “I’m happy because they’re happy.” According to Myers, students who are considering joining the Uni ed Track team do not have to worry because whatever their ability is, it will work with the team and everyone is going to be supportive regardless of participants’ capabilities. “One of my best memories is last year we had this meet that was at Pendleton and they started playing music,” Myers said. “We were all just hanging out and dancing and walking around the track, it was really fun.” According to Lake, the team is a very inclusive and cordial environment to be in and it has made a gigantic impact on his life because he made some of his best friends on the team. “One of the great things that I nd in track is that it allows people with disabilities to participate in a varsity sport,” Lake said. According to Schooley, being on the Uni ed Track team is the best environment for improving the students’ socializing skills. “ is team provides all students with an amazing opportunity to be vulnerable, to be themselves out there and to do something that may be uncomfortable,” Schooley said.

“I have a new fond memory every single event, the kids are always impressing me,” Uni ed Track assistant coach Maggie Sweeney said.

Freshman Leah Hruskoci (right) supports Fishers High School alumni Lauren Shields at the Uni ed Track meet against HSE on Thursday, April 28, at Fishers High School. Photo by Veda Thangudu.