Unified teams give Special Olympian high schoolers a team experience

ERDENHEIM, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- For the past few months, you've seen some individuals who shine in Special Olympics Pennsylvania, but the program also includes Unified teams, joining people with and without intellectual disabilities.

Track and field season is in full swing, and at Montgomery County's Springfield High School, speed and distance aren't the only goals.

The Unified Spartans offer a team experience to students often left out of scholastic athletics.

"Students with and without disabilities compete on a team and compete against teams that are alike," says Unified head track coach Allie Proto.

And it's a level playing field for all.

"Each student on the team can participate in an individual running event, an individual field event, and then they can additionally participate on a relay team," Proto says.

And these relays are special.

"In a relay, we would have two special ed students and two regular ed students," notes assistant coach Patty O'Neill.

Runners like Ella Seslow and Warren Sharpe, both seniors at Springfield.

"We got to run at Penn Relays together the one year, which was fun!" Ella says with a smile.

Warren adds, "Because all the different teams go, not just high school. Special Olympics everywhere."

They may run together, but Ella and Warren are competitors when it comes to the long jump.

"He usually beats me, but it's always close," remarks Ella.

Many athletes have never been on a high school team before, or at least not that sport.

"We work with the students to kind of figure out where their strengths may lie," Proto says. "We try to get everybody to try something new."

And she and assistant coach Patty O'Neill say they've found some hidden talents.

"But don't tell our regular track and field coaches. We don't want them to steal them," she laughs.

Springfield High only has 700 students, but proudly has one of the largest Unified teams in Montgomery County.

And the whole school, from the front office on down, supports the teams and the Unified physical education classes. All say it has changed the culture at Springfield.

"There's something really special and magical about being part of a unified program," O'Neill says.

Each practice concludes with athletes gathered in a circle, hands toward the center. Warren tells them, "Spartans on three," and all cheer, "1, 2, 3 - Spartans!!"

After starting with 10 Unified Champion schools, Pennsylvania Special Olympics will welcome its 500th school this year, and there are dozens in New Jersey and Delaware, too.

For more information, visit SpecialOlympicsPA.org.