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Todd Sheely calls it a "privilege and an honor" to be the coach of the Elkhart High School Unified track team.
Sheely and his talented group have earned the right, once again, to also be called state champions.
Sheely led his team to its second straight state title on Saturday, June 7 at North Central High School in Indianapolis. The Lions, who won the first team state title in school history in 2024, scored 123 points to edge past runner-up Penn (119).
From 2024: Elkhart Unified track team comes together as state champions
More: Varsity Letters: Track program aims to involve more kids
Unified Track, which is an IHSAA sanctioned sport, combines students with and without intellectual disabilities together on the same team.
Sheely, who is also the boys soccer coach at EHS, has now guided either Elkhart Memorial or Elkhart High School to six sectional crowns, three regional titles and three state championships in the past eight years. He was the coach at Memorial in 2018 when the Crimson Chargers won state.
"What is really special about this is that no one gets a medal in this sport unless we all get one as state champions," said Sheely in a phone interview earlier this week. "And that's what this team did. We stress the importance of team and that is what this group was.
"There were no guarantees for us from last year. We had some returning athletes (about a dozen from last year's team), but we really had a new team this year and we had an up and down season. But it clicked for us at the regional. I challenged them to be the most supportive of each other they could be. That was the same challenge at the state finals, and they did that."
The Lions won the NorthWood Sectional title and then claimed the regional crown back at NorthWood. At the state finals they won the 13-team meet, which features six events in the long jump, shot put, 100 and 400 dashes and the 400 boys and 400 girls relay races.
"We put ourselves in a good spot," Sheely said of going into the state finals. "But we were seeded to score 110 points, and our kids found a way to score 13 more than that."
Elkhart and Penn were the only two teams from the area among those competing at the state finals. The Kingsmen were runner-up to the Lions at both the sectional and regional.
Sheely has done an exceptional job building a program at Elkhart High School. His first team at EHS had just 14 kids. Along with the three state titles, Sheely has guided the program to a third, fourth and fifth place finish at state.
"Success breeds success and then people want to take part," noted Sheely of the sport. "We're fortunate to have really good character kids."
VOTE: YMCA South Bend Tribune Athlete of the Week, June 3-8, 2025
More: Who impressed from the South Bend area at IHSAA boys golf sectionals?
Sheely gave credit to his captains Mia Reinholtz and Brennen Crouch, along with fellow seniors Colin Krempec and Marina Engle. He also praised the work of his longtime coaching staff of assistants Kris Bartley, Zach Sullivan and Brian Ketchum.
"I'm blessed to have athletes and coaches who buy in to what we want to do," Sheely said. "I have a way of doing things and our coaches understand the importance of inclusion and also being competitive.
"This sport offers opportunities for athletes to reach a potential. We're building great leaders through this. It's good for our school and I think it's changed our school."
The Lions were led by flight winners Oliva Baca (long jump), Quinn Chandler (100) and the 400 relay team of Ian Krempec, Jayvrey Stokes, Katravon Underwood and Francisco Isaula. A total of 17 different athletes scored key points for the champions, who totaled 124 points in winning state a year ago.
Elkhart becomes the third program to win multi titles, joining Warsaw and Valparaiso. There were 97 unified track teams competing this season, the second most ever.
Penn was led at the state finals by flight winners Lindsay Gorsuch (!00), Aidan Gigante (400), Peyton Ham (long jump) and Caitlyn Gaynor (shot put).
Sheely, who has coached soccer for more than two decades, loves being a part of this sport.
"There's a lot of emotion for me," explained Sheely. "Just seeing the smiles on their faces Saturday after winning the state championship. These kids give me more than I will ever give them.
"I just plan now to enjoy the celebration, get our rings, coach some soccer this fall and then refocus and get back to it again next season."
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Elkhart Unified track team repeats as state champions
Continue reading...
Sheely and his talented group have earned the right, once again, to also be called state champions.
Sheely led his team to its second straight state title on Saturday, June 7 at North Central High School in Indianapolis. The Lions, who won the first team state title in school history in 2024, scored 123 points to edge past runner-up Penn (119).
From 2024: Elkhart Unified track team comes together as state champions
More: Varsity Letters: Track program aims to involve more kids
Unified Track, which is an IHSAA sanctioned sport, combines students with and without intellectual disabilities together on the same team.
Sheely, who is also the boys soccer coach at EHS, has now guided either Elkhart Memorial or Elkhart High School to six sectional crowns, three regional titles and three state championships in the past eight years. He was the coach at Memorial in 2018 when the Crimson Chargers won state.
"What is really special about this is that no one gets a medal in this sport unless we all get one as state champions," said Sheely in a phone interview earlier this week. "And that's what this team did. We stress the importance of team and that is what this group was.
"There were no guarantees for us from last year. We had some returning athletes (about a dozen from last year's team), but we really had a new team this year and we had an up and down season. But it clicked for us at the regional. I challenged them to be the most supportive of each other they could be. That was the same challenge at the state finals, and they did that."
The Lions won the NorthWood Sectional title and then claimed the regional crown back at NorthWood. At the state finals they won the 13-team meet, which features six events in the long jump, shot put, 100 and 400 dashes and the 400 boys and 400 girls relay races.
"We put ourselves in a good spot," Sheely said of going into the state finals. "But we were seeded to score 110 points, and our kids found a way to score 13 more than that."
Elkhart and Penn were the only two teams from the area among those competing at the state finals. The Kingsmen were runner-up to the Lions at both the sectional and regional.
Sheely has done an exceptional job building a program at Elkhart High School. His first team at EHS had just 14 kids. Along with the three state titles, Sheely has guided the program to a third, fourth and fifth place finish at state.
"Success breeds success and then people want to take part," noted Sheely of the sport. "We're fortunate to have really good character kids."
VOTE: YMCA South Bend Tribune Athlete of the Week, June 3-8, 2025
More: Who impressed from the South Bend area at IHSAA boys golf sectionals?
Sheely gave credit to his captains Mia Reinholtz and Brennen Crouch, along with fellow seniors Colin Krempec and Marina Engle. He also praised the work of his longtime coaching staff of assistants Kris Bartley, Zach Sullivan and Brian Ketchum.
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"I'm blessed to have athletes and coaches who buy in to what we want to do," Sheely said. "I have a way of doing things and our coaches understand the importance of inclusion and also being competitive.
"This sport offers opportunities for athletes to reach a potential. We're building great leaders through this. It's good for our school and I think it's changed our school."
The Lions were led by flight winners Oliva Baca (long jump), Quinn Chandler (100) and the 400 relay team of Ian Krempec, Jayvrey Stokes, Katravon Underwood and Francisco Isaula. A total of 17 different athletes scored key points for the champions, who totaled 124 points in winning state a year ago.
Elkhart becomes the third program to win multi titles, joining Warsaw and Valparaiso. There were 97 unified track teams competing this season, the second most ever.
Penn was led at the state finals by flight winners Lindsay Gorsuch (!00), Aidan Gigante (400), Peyton Ham (long jump) and Caitlyn Gaynor (shot put).
Sheely, who has coached soccer for more than two decades, loves being a part of this sport.
"There's a lot of emotion for me," explained Sheely. "Just seeing the smiles on their faces Saturday after winning the state championship. These kids give me more than I will ever give them.
"I just plan now to enjoy the celebration, get our rings, coach some soccer this fall and then refocus and get back to it again next season."
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Elkhart Unified track team repeats as state champions
Continue reading...
