Senior Addie Emkow didn’t plan on stepping into a leadership role with Unified Track. But after joining Best Buddies in high school, a club she was first drawn to because of her older sister, she found herself pulled deeper into inclusive sports than she expected.
That path eventually led her to the Unified Track and Field team, where Emkow now serves as a student assistant coach and leader helping run practices, support athletes, and keep everything organized on the day to day.
“When I stepped into the role, I hoped to bring more support and take some of the weight off the coaches,” Emkow said. “Even in a smaller role last year, I saw how much goes into running a team. This year, I wanted to help however I could.”
That willingness to step in became real. Early in the 2026 season, Emkow was asked to lead a full practice when the head coach was absent.
“In that moment, I had to step up and lead my group through practice,” she said. “It showed me I could take initiative and really support the team.”
Those experiences have shaped how she defines leadership; adaptability and communication in chaotic, fast paced moments.
“When things get chaotic, I try to stay calm,” she said. “I figure out what’s going on, talk with coaches, and work together to find a solution. Communication is everything.”
Aside from this, Emkow says the most meaningful part of Unified Track isn’t the responsibility, but rather, the people.
“Working with unified athletes has shown me how many leaders are actually in the program,” she said. “There are always peers stepping up to support each other. It’s a really strong team environment.”
For Emkow, Unified Track and Best Buddies are closely tied experiences that have shaped how she approaches relationships, communication, and inclusion within the program. She says both have influenced how she interacts with athletes, especially when it comes to building trust and being consistent support both on and off the track.
“I’m grateful I can carry a lot of what I learned from Best Buddies into Unified Track,” she said. “It’s about knowing how to support someone, being patient, and being a familiar face they can trust.”
She also says the structure of Unified Track itself is a key part of why that impact is possible. By operating like a traditional varsity sport, complete with practices, meets, and expectations, it creates a space for both competition and connection at the same time, which she says is what makes the culture so special.
“I think programs like Unified Track are important because they highlight the best qualities in people,” Emkow said. “It allows athletes and peers to build real friendships while still competing.”
Some of Emkow’s most memorable experiences come during meets, where the work built during practice really shows up. Watching athletes she has trained alongside compete and finish events is what she describes as the most rewarding part of her role.
“Seeing students I knew before joining the team give their all is really meaningful,” she said. “The joy on their faces when they finish stands out every time.”
Looking forward, Emkow hopes her involvement helps strengthen the program’s culture and encourages more students to step into it. For her, the goal isn’t just personal impact, but even more inclusivity within the school community.
“I hope I’ve shown people how important inclusion is,” she said. “Unified Track is special, and I hope more students see the impact they can have just by being part of it.”
