What do cycling, golf, swimming, hockey, track and field, and archery all have in common? Two weeks ago, I would have answered, “They are all sports”. Today my answer is, “They are all sports that an individual can participate in, no matter what abilities they may have”.
Last Saturday, on day 3 of my internship with Adaptive Sports New England, I had the opportunity to attend the 14th annual Accessible Recreation Fair hosted by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. The fair hosted seventeen organizations, providing information about local and regional adaptive recreation. In addition, there were numerous hands-on activities attendees could take part in including cycling around the parking lot, driving an all-terrain wheelchair and testing your swing on the adaptive golf driving range.
This event was especially memorable for me because people of all ages and abilities were able to participate. What really stood out was how all the organizations had the common goal of sharing resources about accessible recreation opportunities in the area and encouraging people of all abilities to join these programs. This cohesiveness created a sense of community where anyone could take part in the activities and everyone was welcome.
Even though I have only worked one week at Adaptive Sports New England, I can say that behind the scenes I have learned a lot about the organization. I have learned about the various methods of outreach, funding, and sports programming, but most importantly I have learned that adaptive sports is not just about sports, it is about community and inclusiveness.
I am looking forward to learning more about different ways to increase participation in adaptive sports in youth this summer!
