Unified Track Athletes Compete, Overcome Together

'United we stand.' 

The truth of this well known maxim is lived out each time the members of the Avon High School Unified Track & Field team dons their yellow tie-dyed shirts and heads out to the track to compete. 

"It's a sight to behold," says the parent of a sophomore athlete on the Unified Track team. "It is a massive encouragement to me to see not only how hard these athletes compete — no matter their diagnosis — but how focused they are on cheering for and helping one another. From the starting gun to the finish line, these student-athletes model good sportsmanship, heart, passion, and character."

Unified Track & Field is a fully sanctioned IHSAA sport in which athletes with disabilities compete beside neurotypical peers in events like long jump, shotput, 4x100 relay, 100-yard dash, and more. It's an occasion for students to experience the roar of the crowd, the joy of participation in a team sport, and the personal satisfaction of setting a personal record or simply crossing the finish line. 

The Avon Unified team is coached by AHS Athletic Department Secretary Sarah Hancock and a team of qualified, passionate assistant coaches. 

The team competes in the sectional tournament this Saturday at Franklin Central. If they qualify, Regional and State meets follow on May 28 and June 4. 

Good luck, athletes!