Wareham High School Unified Track and Field Team won the State Championship meet. (Photo courtesy Wareham Public Schools) 
The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) presented the team with a banner and a trophy at WHS on Monday, June 3. (Photo courtesy Wareham Public Schools) 
From left, team captains Alton McCane IV and Michael Enos. (Photo courtesy Wareham Public Schools) 
WAREHAM — Superintendent Matt D’Andrea and Unified Track and Field Coach Megan Kashner are pleased to share that the Wareham High School Unified Track and Field team won the Division II State Championship meet.
On Tuesday, May 28, the Unified Track and Field team competed in the State Championship at Natick High School with a total of 33 Division 2 teams participating. Eleven out of the 18 Unified Track and Field members qualified to participate in the State Meet. The team scored 81 points, beating Sandwich by two points during the championship.
The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) presented the team with individual medals and a trophy at WHS on Monday, June 3.
The Unified Sports program in Massachusetts, run by Special Olympics Massachusetts in partnership with the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, provides students with disabilities the opportunity to play high school sports alongside their peers in a fun and supportive environment.
As part of the program, Special Olympics Unified Sports® brings together athletes with intellectual disabilities and athletes without intellectual disabilities (Unified Partners) to train and compete on the same team. Participants improve their physical fitness, sharpen their skills and learn acceptance and inclusion while participating in Unified Sports.
The regular season consists of four meets with regional schools, two home and two away. During the season, points are not recorded but distances for field events and times for track events are kept. During the season, the team practices twice a week for an hour and a half.
“The goal for each season is for the kids to be active and get comfortable doing things that might be hard or challenging for them,” said Unified Track and Field Coach Megan Kashner. “Being on this team provides our athletes opportunities to make and feel their own progress. We are so proud of them for their efforts this year.”
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