Unified Sports Are Back On

Abington’s High School sports club returns after a year of cancellation.

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Alex Jernegan

The AHS unified sports and some members of the high school girls’ soccer team team before facing the East Bridgewater team.

Alex Jernegan, Staff Writer

Unified Sports is an inclusive Abington High School club that plays soccer in the fall and basketball in the spring. Mr. McGinness, Ms. Wakelin, and Ms. Casey serve as the coaches for unified sports. It is open to anyone at the high school, freshman through senior, regardless of ability or experience.

After being shut down for the past year due to the pandemic, Unified Sports are back on.

“It truly is a fun and exciting season to look forward to and I cannot wait to play our first game!”

— Coach Wakelin

The club is loved by the players, the volunteers, and of course the teachers running the club. Alex Jernegan, who is a member of the Unified program, sat down with Ms. Wakelin, one of the Unified Sports coaches, and asked her some questions on what she thinks about this year.

Jernegan: What good things do you hope will come out of Unified this year?

Coach Wakelin: One thing I hope that will come out of Unified this year is that each student enjoy themselves while being a part of the team.

Jernegan: What made it difficult for Unified to take place last year?

Coach Wakelin: With the pandemic and the hybrid model of learning, the other coaches and I struggled to find a way to have Unified running last year. It did not seem appropriate to compile a large number of students while also trying to social distance. It was definitely a hard decision to make, but the right one in order to keep everyone safe.

Jernegan: While Unified was on hold, what did you miss the most?

Coach Wakelin: One thing I missed most about Unified was getting to meet new students! It is a great way for us coaches to meet students from different grades and sports that we may not know.

Jernegan: What are you excited the most about this year?

Coach Wakelin: I am extremely excited to get back out on the field and see the team work together to improve themselves!

Jernegan: What do you think Unified players missed the most last year?

Coach Wakelin: I believe the players missed spending time with one another. It truly is a fun and exciting season to look forward to.

The Abington High School boys’ soccer team and girls’ soccer teams also play and practice with the Unified team.

Unified sports are always open to new members! Just let Mr. McGinness, Ms. Wakelin, or Ms. Casey know if you want to join. Attend the next practice and you are good to go. But due to the Carver game being postponed last month, Unified is taking a break until basketball season starts in the new year.