On April 23, the Norwin’s Unified Track team celebrated Senior Knight, where all the senior athletes were honored for their time and commitment to the team.
According to the Unified Sports website, “Special Olympics Unified Sports® creates an opportunity for people without intellectual disabilities to join in the sports experience by playing on a team with athletes with intellectual disabilities. Not only do the players all have fun, but attitude change and transformation happens on the playing field and the experiences create lifelong friendships. Unified Sports® combines approximately equal numbers of Special Olympics Athletes and athletes without intellectual disabilities (called Partners) on sports teams for training and competition. Age and ability matching of athletes and partners is defined on a sport-by-sport basis. The concept of combining athletes with intellectual disabilities and those without was first introduced in the mid-1980s to provide another level of challenge for higher ability athletes and to promote equality and inclusion.”
The members of the unified track team all compete as a team with the common goal to have fun and hopefully win some events.
“Seeing how inclusive everyone is has to be my favorite part,” Elizabeth Yarosik Unified Track member said. “At the meets, it doesn’t matter what color uniform you are wearing, everyone is cheering and encouraging you to finish.”
These meets are a place for competition, but that doesn’t mean that there is tension between teams. Everyone at these events is cheering each other on to do their best.
”I really love running and that’s my favorite part,” Nicholas Patalsky said.
Throughout the season, numerous of the athletes have put up some amazing marks, really getting to show off their skills. Eli Passarelli for example is the team’s best mini javelin thrower taking first at one of the teams meets. A few other of the team’s star athletes are Elizabeth Yarosik who won the 800m, Anthony Altier who throws shot put, Nick Patalsky who runs the 400m, and Alina Harragin who runs the 100m.
“Our team is very supportive of one another, and we really like to have fun! I like the team building, and the new relationships that are formed throughout the season,” Club advisor Mrs.Haraburda said. “All of the students push each other to be good role models on and off of the track. I also enjoy getting to meet students and teachers from other districts and the community involvement that it brings.”
The entirety of the program is built around the bond that the members have built together and their drive to become better. Everyone who is a part of the team had a great time and will be sad to see the season end, but there is still one more competition for the Knights if they can make it. The State Championship is May 25-26 at Shippensburg.
”I love going with all my friends and running,” Angela Andognozzi said.
