By Karen Dempsey
The track at Braintree High rippled with activity early on the morning of June 18—and that was before the athletes had arrived. Volunteers set up the registration table, taped off lines for the 60m heat, and swept and walked the track to clear it of any debris that might puncture a racing chair wheel. Others fought the wind to erect tents and canopies, anchoring them with kettle balls, jugs of water and even a few personal backpacks.
The occasion? The 2022 Adaptive Sports New England Track Meet and Junior Varsity Field Day, made possible by the Bionic 5K, Spaulding Adaptive Sports Centers, the Yawkey Foundation, the Martin Richard Foundation, and the Bill Belichick Foundation.
Athletes joined the event from around New England, New York and New Jersey, and as far away as Kentucky. Because the meet is a Move United sanctioned event, they can normally use their times to qualify for other races. Saturday’s sweeping tail wind meant the times wouldn’t qualify—but it some excitement to the day’s whirlwind.
Some of the athletes were new to racing, while others had met up plenty of times before, at events around the region and the country. Those competing showed some race-day jitters in the hour leading up to the first race start, but overall, the day had the feel of a family reunion. Families hugged and laughed, talked about summer plans, and shared tips on other adaptive activities like swim lessons.
“I’m always online, researching things to do, and I was so excited when I came across this organization,” said one mom. “And my daughter has really connected with Katrina—she has to be one of the most inspiring people I’ve ever met.”
Katrina (Gerhard) Lambeth paved the way for the inclusion of wheelchair racing in Massachusetts high school track and field. Now a medical student, she was on hand to chat with and cheer on the athletes, some of whom she has worked with as a coach.
The athletes themselves joked, laughed and jostled each other’s chairs as they waited for the races to start. Then the spectators—parents and grandparents, siblings and friends—whooped and clapped as the athletes tore around the track for 60m, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, and 1500m running and wheelchair events.
Kids on the sideline, including many of the athletes’ siblings, were tugging at parents’ hands, anxious to join in the competition and burn off some energy themselves. They got their chance with the second half of the morning, the field day part of the event. After a quick icebreaker during which kids introduced themselves and shared their favorite ice cream flavor, the kids scattered across the field to try out bocce, cornhole, javelin, shotput, ladder ball and a softball toss.
Everyone appeared happy—and sweaty—as they helped themselves to pizza at the end of the day.
