Junior Mya Thompson shifts her starting blocks before her most important race of her season: the 2025 Nebraska Class A & B State Championships. The referee does his ritual, raising the starting pistol to the sky. The shot rings out, the race is on and Thompson made Millard South history with her 6th place finish in the 100m dash.

The unified track and field program has been around for six years; this year will be the seventh.

David Stalling, the unified coach, is clear about what makes unified sports unique and different from any other school sport.

“Unified sports focus on inclusion, teamwork, and relationships. Athletes and partners compete together, support each other, and celebrate each other’s successes. It’s not just about winning competitions; it’s about creating opportunities for everyone to participate, build confidence, and feel like they belong,” Stalling said.

One athlete in the program, Mya Thompson, has made tremendous strides this year as a state qualifier, winning 6th place in the 100m dash and 6th place in the long jump at the Nebraska state championships.

“When we learned that Mya qualified for state, we were so thrilled for her,” Thompson’s mother Amy Gunn said.  “I don’t think Mya understood what an accomplishment it was until she got to the actual state meet and witnessed the thousands of people in attendance. Watching her beam with pride after she competed was something we will never forget,” Gunn said.

Thompson never imagined herself to be a state winner in the beginning.

“I started running in middle school, and then I did summer running through cross country to start track,” Thompson said.

Teammates say Thompson has always been a strong leader and athlete.

“She is a very confident girl, just in general, and her sports definitely helped her become a lot more confident. She makes the group more motivated. A lot of the guys are always like ‘oh I’m going to beat Mya in practice today’, and she just laughs because she knows she’s going to win,” said teammate junior Libby Rigg.

This ability to have confidence has led her to great success, but just like everyone she has faced challenges. Thompson contributes a lot of her success thanks to support from mentors and coaches.

“I think my coach, coach Stalling, really helped me get through it all at state. I made sure to keep working and I didn’t give up on myself,” Thompson said.

Thomopson’s teammates say the same thing; her work ethic is what makes her truly stand out even when she faces obstacles.

“Mya is a really great and fast runner. I know she gets a little nervous in her head, and puts a lot of pressure on herself to run and do her best, but she handles it so well. It’s so fun to watch her do so well and get into her zone, preparing to do her thing,”   senior Mallory Oswald said.

It is not often a track powerhouse is just as impactful off the track as on, yet Thompson has a significant impact on those who she trains with.

Mae Martin, a senior and friend of Thompson in Unified Bowling and Unified Track said, “Mya is a really big encouragement to everyone around her because she is so good at what she does. And Its obvious that everyone really looks up to her and sees what she brings to the team.”

“At practice, Mya’s relay team does a lot of practice, just them, and they really care and put a lot of work into them. Last year before state that did a lot of work on hand-offs  and practicing starts. That extra work after practice really helped them do their best,” Martin said.

For Thompson, reaching this point hasn’t just been accredited by support from her teammates, it’s been about the closest inner circle of people who have helped her along the way. At the center of that support system are her parents, who have witnessed every step of her journey.

“Unified Track has been so great not just for Mya, but for our family as well,” Gunn said. “We have seen her confidence shine and created a sense of community for her that she is truly proud of. We could not be more proud of who Mya has become as a woman, a friend, a competitor and a teammate. She is so resilient and truly brings so much joy to the world. Our family is extremely grateful for all of the support, encouragement and guidance her teachers, coaches and friends. MS is a very special place and we are forever grateful,” Gunn said.

Thompson, this year, prepares for her junior season and her senior season in the ‘27 school year as an athlete and leader. She has high expectations for her future athletics, but also has a lot of goals for her team as an upperclassman.”

“I would like to and hope to get a personal record this year. I’m excited to help people and help people get through the season. If anyone wants to try out, try out and if you don’t like it then you don’t have to do it next year,” Thompson said.

As Unified Track continues to expand, athletes like Thompson show why the program matters more than ever. More than awards, medals or placements, participating and shedding light on Unified Sports creates a space where athletes can find a community to belong, build confidence, support and build one another, and prove what they are capable of both on and off the track.