Special Olympics part of Palmer Relays

PALMER - Palmer High School and Special Olympics Alaska have combined efforts to bring something new to the annual Palmer Relays track and field meet at Machetanz Field.

In addition to the hundreds of athletes competing in the Alaska Schools Activities Association sanctioned competitions, the Relays will also feature a handful of Special Olympics events. As a part of the Special Olympic program, student-athletes will compete in the Unified Sports 400-meter relay, long jump and shot put.

There is also a Special Olympics 100-meter dash scheduled.

Unified Sports is a Special Olympics program that combines student-athletes with intellectual disabilities together with student-athletes without intellectual disabilities. Those without a diagnosed intellectual disability are called partners, and act as mentors for the Special Olympics athletes. The Unified teams combine Special Olympics athletes and partners of similar age and ability, and each Unified team competes against other Unified teams.

Unified Sports is a trademark of Special Olympics.

Dale Ewart, head coach of the PHS track and field squad, introduced the idea to his fellow coaches and the PHS administration last year. A small group of Special Olympics student-athletes competed at the Palmer Relays, and the state championships included a Unified Sports 400-meter relay

race.

&#8220We're just trying to build on what we did last year,” Ewart said.

Of the 10 schools participating in the Relays, seven will include Unified teams and Special Olympics athletes. Colony, Kodiak, Palmer and Wasilla will have the Unified teams and the Special Olympics athletes in addition to their varsity squads, while East Anchorage, Service and South Anchorage will be bringing only their Special Olympics athletes to the event.

Ewart said about eight Special Olympics student-athletes practice twice a week with the Palmer track and field squad.

&#8220They're really excited. They really want to participate,” Ewart said.

With the help of the members of the PHS track and field squad, Ewart has integrated work with the Special Olympics student-athletes into the practice schedule.

Before the season began, Ewart said he spoke with his team about incorporating the Special Olympics program with not only the Palmer Relays, but the Palmer High track and field squad. Ewart said the reception has been excellent, something that will prove to be important in the future as the relationship between the Special Olympics programs and prep athletics begins to grow. He is finding that his track athletes are having a positive experience with their work with the Special Olympics athletes, and realizing there is not much that separates the two groups.

Ewart said he also see a good response from the other programs. The Relays will feature a full heat of eight teams in the Unified 400-meter relay, and there will be about a dozen Special Olympics athletes competing in the 100-meter dash.

Today, the Special Olympics athletes will compete in the Unified long jump at 3 p.m., and the 100-meter dash at 3:30 p.m. The Unified shot put and the Unified relay are slated for Saturday afternoon.