Ethan Burr, Unified Track athlete competes in the long jump. —Nicholas Vukota 
Dennis-Yarmouth Unified Track handing off the baton, —Nicholas Vukota 
Unified track races against Dennis-Yarmouth in the 400-meter. —Nicholas Vukota 
Grady Stalgren, a volunteer partner with MVRHS Unified Track, does the long-jump. —Nicholas Vukota 
MVRHS and Dennis-Yarmouth Unified Track race in the 100-meter. —Nicholas Vukota 
Grayson Hartzband throws the shot put. —Nicholas Vukota
The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) unified track team held its home opener last Thursday, hosting Dennis-Yarmouth at the Island track and field.
“It was awesome,” said McGrath of the meet. “DY (Dennis-Yarmouth) was amazing. They’re very similar in size to us, and they’re a great team with a great coach and great kids. So it was just a great first home meet for sure.”
Athletes from both programs competed in the long jump, 100-meter dash, 200-meter relay, 400-meter race, and the shot put. The meet on April 28 marked the first home meet of the year for the Vineyarders, who had one away meet earlier this season.
Unified track brings together students of all abilities and disabilities to compete on the same teams, emphasizing inclusion and shared participation, highlighted McGrath.
“It’s so important to get kids mixing it up in that way,” said Kevin McGrath, MVRHS unified track and field head coach. “To see people with different abilities, disabilities play together on a level playing field almost reminds them of how similar we all are.”
MVRHS unified track athlete, Ethan Burr, said he felt empowered by the 400-meter race, which had never been held in the Vineyard’s unified sports program before.
“The unified track meet was so fun, and I loved running the 400!” said Burr in a message shared with The Times.
McGrath said Burr’s performance in the first 400-meter race run by unified athletes was the highlight of the day.
“He just jumped right in, and when he went in to run it, a bunch of other players were like ‘I want to do it too,’” said McGrath in an interview with The Times. “Even though they hadn’t practiced it … he really got them into it.”
McGrath said he has been involved with the MVRHS unified track and field program since its inception around 2017, when Ryan Kent first brought unified sports to Martha’s Vineyard.
“Ryan Kent started it … He’s the one that really brought unified sports here,” said McGrath. “I give a lot of credit to him for that, and now it’s just exploding in this state.”
McGrath recalled when the program first started in 2017, and there were roughly only 30 teams competing at the time. McGrath said there are now more than 300 teams.
The Vineyarders are planning to compete in the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) Unified Track & Field sectionals on Friday, May 8 in Middleborough, and if MVRHS athletes qualify, they will compete in a state championship meet on May 27 at Natick High School.