Pennridge offers many different athletic opportunities to students, but one lesser-known may be our Unified program, consisting of the school’s fully inclusive sports teams. The program is complete with bocce as well as track and field, which operate in the winter and spring, respectively; these options give students with and without disability access to training and competition as teammates. This year’s spring track season is just beginning, but it will be the first they have had to hold during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

From an interview with the club’s advisor Mrs. James, we learned that she has coached various sports in the past and that she and coach Mrs. Fehnel are running partners. A while back, the pair hosted a club of student runners, most of whom identified on the autism spectrum. When Mrs. Fehnel was presented with the opportunity to organize the Unified program, it was obvious they would join forces again. Mrs. James has been running since high school and is a big advocate for the benefits of running. She admires that its simplicity makes it accessible to many, and also says that running, “improves mental health, teaches self-awareness and self motivation, and forces you to have a strong mind. All things that anyone can achieve.”

Once introduced in the summer of 2018, both Fehnel and James spent months recruiting students for the initial Unified track and field season and have continued since to create a sizable group of 17 athletes and 13 partners in the program currently. In addition to recruitment, both women work to build a name for Unified sports through collaboration with other coaches and the athletics department, assuring equal resources. During club meetings, introductions are made, and partner/athlete pairs are alternated consistently to encourage everyone to get to know each other. School-wide inclusion is the ultimate goal of the program, with requirements for participants to be uplifting to their peers and put their best effort forth. Heidi Landis, a current team member, says that making new friends has been easy and that everyone contributes to general support for one another. 

With the added complication of COVID-19 measures, this year’s season will look a lot different for unified student-athletes. Only dual meets are to be held with no spectators allowed, and they won’t be attending the much anticipated State Competition either. However, this year will be the first in which they host their April Showers event on April 29th. At the event, the team will be presented with a national banner from Special Olympics, an outstanding achievement matched by only 123 schools in the country. Another activity barred since the pandemic was the Polar Plunge that the team participated in annually, though we will soon get more information via the Ramble about a revised version that the school will host at some point. 

Through new obstacles, the Unified program is still sure to be an enjoyable experience for a wide range of students this school year. For anyone seeking a new activity along with new connections to peers, participation in either seasonal sport can be a great opportunity. The program’s group of teammates observe and celebrate each other’s progress at every turn, along with gaining friendships that last outside club meetings.