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Rolling Into The Mainstream
By Stephen Michael Kerr, Thu Dec 8th
Ask any disabled athlete if they would jump at the chance tocompete against able-bodied athletes, and they would probablygive you an emphatic "Yes!" Whether it's crossing the finishline in a track meet, or kayaking on the river, having theopportunity to participate in the same athletic activity as anable-bodied person is the goal of disabled athletes everywhere. That's also the goal of World Wheelchair Sports (WWS), anorganization dedicated to providing outdoor activities forpeople with mobility impairments. Founded in 1990 and based inEugene, Oregon, WWS believes physical fitness is vital toeveryone, regardless of disability. People of all agesthroughout the Pacific Northwest take part in track and field,road racing, cycling, kayaking, and other sports andrecreational activities. Best of all, many of these activities have been set up to allowdisabled individuals to compete with and against theirable-bodied peers. The track program, led by WWS ExecutiveDirector and former Paralympic track coach Kevin Hansen, hasproduced many Olympic and Paralympic medallists who have setworld and national records.
"Some of our junior athletes have competed with their standingpeers at regular high school track and field meets, and haveearned Varsity letters," Hansen explains. Over the past several years, WWS has coordinated variouswheelchair track events, including the first ever exhibitionrace at the 2002 State High School Track Championships, and theannual Oregon Regional wheelchair track and field championships. Another sport which allows disabled athletes to join theirable-bodied counterparts is sailing. WWS, in conjunction withDisabled of Oregon, offers both accompanied and solosailing activities and lessons. "We currently have two boats in our program,"
Hansen says. "Oneis a 21-foot keelboat shared with the local Sea Explorer troop.The other craft is a 25-foot Santana 525 sloop purchased in 1999with a grant from the Meyer Memorial Trust." Wheels In Nature, or WIN, brings children and adults inwheelchairs together with those who aren't through musclepowered outdoor adventures. Each summer, WIN conducts youthcamps in kayaking, wheelchair court sports and racing, sailing,fishing, hand cycling, and a special Arts In Nature Day. Longeroutings include day trips to wildlife refuges and overnightcampouts in some of Oregon's national forests. Funding for WWS is provided through membership and entry fees,donations, and grants. Members come from many differentbackgrounds and levels of disability. Hansen, who became aquadriplegic following a snow skiing accident, thought hisathletic days were over until he was able to acquire one of thefirst lightweight aluminum sports chairs to be mass-produced inthe U.S. "That chair got me into road races and track meets, and was thefirst of many equipment upgrades," he says. Some participants are older people who suffered a stroke orsevere arthritis, while others were born with disablingconditions that left them paraplegics or double amputees. Butthanks to the programs of World Wheelchair Sports, theseindividuals can experience the thrill of athletic competition,or the freedom to enjoy recreational activities in a morerelaxed environment. The chance to share these experiences withthose who are not in a wheelchair gives them an even greaterfeeling of satisfaction and accomplishment. To find out more information about World Wheelchair Sports,visit their website at: www.efn.org/~wwscoach About the author:Stephen Michael Kerr is the publisher of Adaptive Sports &Recreation, a free ezine devoted to sports and recreation forthe disabled. To read previous issues, visit:http://archives.zinester.com/41809
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