A few years ago US Paralympics created the Paralympic Sports Club designation for adaptive sports programs. I envision a group at the top scratching their heads saying why don’t we have more individuals with disabilities on the podium at major events. US Paralympics realized that to do this they would have to nurture athletes from the grassroots level. They did a 180 and started to focus on the programs that were introducing athletes and individuals to adaptive sports. The Paralympic Sports Club (PSC) was born.
Stated on the US Paralympic website:
Paralympic Sport Clubs are community-based programs developed to involve youth and adults with physical and visual disabilities in sports and physical activity, regardless of skill level. All programs and activities will be based in the community and are run by the local organization.
Currently there are over 100 PSC around the US and Europe (three in Germany on US Military bases). US Paralympics goal is to have around 230 by 2015. Click here for more information on how your organization and become a PSC.
Today these sports clubs met for a day-long working session at the Paralympic Leadership Conference in Colorado Springs, CO. The energy was high throughout the day and discussion topics ranged from funding opportunities and partnerships to use of the PSC Logo. The highlight of the morning was to hear Melissa Stockwell (Iraq Veteran, above knee amputee, and paralympic athlete) speak about her story.
It is incredible to see US Paralympics taking such an active role in the success of small community based organizations. Organizations which can take credit for empowering individuals with disabilities by giving them their first sports lesson and which will also swell with pride as their athletes might one day stand on a Paralympic Podium. This model of PSC’s has already started to pay off big with a huge increase in participation in adaptive sports. Although the biggest payoff is for individuals with disabilities who might have not know about what sport and recreation can do for them.
Networking was the main focus of the afternoon breakout session. PSC’s were broken up by region and encouraged, through some creative games, to network with other PSC’s and Veteran organizations. Meeting people who might be your neighbor but you never knew them is great and there will be some great collaborations and partnerships which come out of this session.
US Paralympics has really raised the bar again with this year’s PSC working sessions. We left a long day feeling like someone was really thinking about the needs of our organizations. Thanks.
-RAM
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