Most student-athletes are used to the grind of a standard track season: the repetitive blocks, the split-second improvements, and the solitary nature of the race. However, the Unified Track program is rewriting the playbook. By pairing athletes with varying abilities, the team is shifting the focus from ‘how fast can I run?’ to ‘how well can we finish together?’ This season, the Royals are proving that while the lanes on the track look the same, the mission behind them has completely evolved.
Starting at the beginning of any sports practice is the warm-ups. In Unified track there is still a focus on increasing speed, endurance, and strength. As far as the differences go, at a Unified practice the athletes split up into squads which are composed of a variety of athletes with different abilities. The squads get more refined by event group as the season progresses. Each squad will be run through an assortment of different drills and stretches which help them to improve.
This brings us to the overall vibe of the practice. In a traditional track practice, there is a huge focus on reps and improving every day. While Unified practices still focus on improving each athlete, there is less of a focus on repetitions and precision. Mr. Moosbrugger, the head coach for unified calls the overall vibe “Fun”. He says, “Everyone looks forward to this hour and fifteen minutes, three days a week, to just be together”. According to Mr. Moosbrugger, this fun atmosphere allows the team to make each other better in so many ways.
At the heart of this sport is a coaching philosophy that is like that of traditional track. According to Mr. Moosbrugger, “All coaches expect their kids to do their best” However, the key difference is that every kid needs to do their best. This is because every heat of every event adds to the score of the team. This is different from regular track where in most events only the top athletes score for the team.
When I asked what if there was a specific moment from this season that best encapsulates what makes this sport so special, Mr. Moosbrugger said there was. He said that everyday from when the kids line up outside his class at 3 to when they break down the huddle at 4:30 it is a constant reminder of what makes this sport so special. This sport which may not focus on rigorous reps and perfection still instills getting better every day into each one of its athletes. The fun atmosphere alongside the competitive nature makes this sport an amazing place for any athlete no matter their potential.
