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Parent Info

PARENT MEETING 2024

 

Unified Sports combines students with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team for sports training and competition. Special Olympics Indiana and the IHSAA are partnering for the fifth year to sponsor Unified track and field competitions statewide. 

 

The Unified track and field teams consist of an approximately equal number of athletes with intellectual disabilities (Unified Student Athletes) and athletes without intellectual disabilities (Unified Student Partners). Teams are coed and the competition is coed. 

 

DEFINITIONS:

 

Athlete: 

A student who:

  1. Has been identified by an agency or professional as having one of the following conditions: intellectual disabilities, cognitive delays as measured by formal assessment, or significant learning or vocational problems due to cognitive delay that require or have required specially designed instruction.
  2. Is not earning credits toward a diploma.
  3. Is working toward a certificate of completion, certificate of attendance, or the equivalent.

 

Partner Athlete: 

A student who does not meet the above definition and will be competing with the athletes.

 

Student Coaches: 

A student who does not meet the above definition who will be assisting at practices and meets.

 

Practice Structure:

Practice will be on Mondays and Wednesdays and will begin promptly at 3:50 p.m.

 

Our practice structure will be:

                3:50-4:05-Warm-up/Stretch

                4:05-4:40-Event specific practice with partner athletes and student coaches

                4:40-4:50-Whole team activity and cool-down.

 

Practice will finish promptly at 4:50 p.m.  Thank you in advance for having transportation for students at that time.

 

Meets:

We will have six meets this season: (I am still working on scheduling one more before the start of the season)

  • Thu. April 11th 5:30pm Westfield High school
  • Thu. April 18th 6:00pm Zionsville High school
  • Thu.  April 25th Movie pizza party at Zionsville High school
  • Mon. April 29th 5:30pm Brownsburg High School
  • Sat. May 4th 11am Noblesville
  • Mon. May 6th Invitational Zionsville Community High school
  • Tue. May 14th 6pm Hamilton Heights - We will leave at 4:30pm so that the students in Best Buddies can still attend the meeting.
  • Sat. May 18th Sectional Noblesville

 

Meets will consist of the following events -100 dash, 400 dash, 4x100 relay Boys, 4x100 relay Girls, long jump and shot put. During competition, athletes and partner athletes will be in separate scoring heats.

 

In addition to all the other events we will be introducing the 4x200 relay. This will be only for not scored meets for a trail so you will not see this event at sectionals or invitational.

 

Transportation:

On meet days, we will be taking school provided transportation (athletes, partner athletes, student coaches and coaches). Transportation to/from meets will be provided and required. If parent(s)/guardian(s) chooses to transport their son/daughter instead of utilizing the provided transportation home from meets only, an email must be sent prior to the meet to Coach Cassin ([email protected]).

 

Here is a link to the website where the sign-up genius is for parents to opt out of school transportation.

https://zhs.zcs.k12.in.us/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=538203&type=d&pREC_ID=2378835

 

Requirements for all participants:

All athletes will be required to have a physical and online forms completed through Final Forms. For more information on forms and physicals, please visit https://zhs.zcs.k12.in.us/apps/pages/athletic_forms.

 

Team expectations (All athletes have to follow):   

As student athletes, you will be responsible for conducting yourself in a manner above and beyond expectations. Every member of the Zionsville Unified Track and Field team has a duty to represent himself/herself, the team and the school in the best manner possible. This applies to your behavior both in school and out of school.

 

All participants are expected to:

  • Display appropriate sportsmanship.
  • Respect coaches, referees, all players, spectators, parents and school administrators.
  • Attend practices/meets, unless a reasonable excused absence is submitted.
  • Be prepared with proper equipment and attire (gym shoes, and athletic wear).
  • Refrain from using inappropriate language/gestures, exhibiting aggressive behavior toward self/others, committing destruction of property, etc.

 

Those in violation of the above may result in dismissal from the Zionsville Unified Track and Field team.

 

Head Coach:

Spencer Cassin

[email protected]

317-873-3355 ext. 63149

Assistant Coaches:

Ellen Shertzer

Courtney Waugh

Jacob Shircliff