School Based Sports Inclusion Getting all high school
School Based Sports & Inclusion Getting all high school students in the game!
PRESENTERS Huayra “Wyda” Gomez-Garcia Disabled Sports USA Programs Manager CINDY HOUSNER Founder & Executive Director Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association
WHAT WILL WE COVER TODAY? • Athletics for All & Resources Available • Types of programs: Unified Sports Programs & adaptive sports • Current state of inclusion in schools • Sample state model (best practices, challenges, successes) • Role of community adaptive sports programs • Trainings available • Athlete identification • Equipment & grant resources • Q&A
FIRST… Let’s get to know each other… Raise your hand if you’re a: • Coach • School Administrator • Work or volunteer with a community adaptive sport organization • How many of you are already working with schools?
ROAD TO INCLUSION Rehab act of 1973 requires that students with disabilities be provided equal opportunity for participation in extracurricular athletic programs U. S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) issued Dear Colleague Letter clarification in January 2013 • Clarifies when and how schools must include students with disabilities in mainstream athletics programs • Defines what true equal treatment of students athletes with disabilities means • Encourages and provides a road map for schools to create adapted programs for students with physical disabilities
ABOUT ATHLETICS FOR ALL • The mission of the Athletics for All Task Force is to provide the tools by which coaches, athletic directors and school administrators can include students with physical disabilities in interscholastic sports • Task force composed of national and regional disability sport organizations that are working together to promote and facilitate inclusion of students with disabilities in sports. Task force is managed by Disabled Sports USA
ABOUT ATHLETICS FOR ALL Members include: • • • Active Policy Solutions Adaptive Sports USA • American Association of Adapted Sports Programs Bay Area Outreach and • Recreation Program • Blaze. Sports America Bridge II Sports Competitive Edge Management Disabled Sports USA Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association Lakeshore Foundation Louisiana Games Uniting Mind and Body National Center on Heath, Physical Activity and Disability Special Olympics United States Association of Blind Athletes
WHAT WE OFFER • • Introductory sport guidelines and best practices for sports considered easy to adapt in mainstream interscholastic sports o Track and Field o Tennis o Swimming o Alpine & Nordic Skiing o Boccia Sports specific webinars o Goalball o Wheelchair Basketball o Sitting Volleyball and adaptive sports immersion opportunities • Facilitation of in person training for coaches and officials with adaptive sports experts (train the trainer, school demos or awareness days) • Access to hundreds of community based adaptive sports organizations that can assist with accessing adaptive equipment, athlete identification, recruitment and advocacy • Decades of experience in disability sport training, sport adaptations & adaptive equipment
WHAT WE OFFER
WHAT WE OFFER Make sure to check out www. athleticsforall. org:
COMMON CHALLENGES • Challenges for districts and schools: • Budget Constraints • District, local, and state officials generally lack information on how to provide athletic opportunities but progress being made • Lack of clarity on schools legal requirements • Accommodation levels vary and most accommodations provided are through mainstream athletic programs not creation of adapted programs • Additional barriers include lack of: • Transportation • Inaccessible facilities • Lack of adapted equipment • Lack of trained coaches/personnel • Geographic areas • Fear of change
BENEFITS OF SPORTS • According to the CDC, youth with disabilities are twice as likely to be physically inactive; obesity rates almost 40% higher than in youth without disabilities • Benefits for students with disabilities who participate in sports are similar to students without disabilities: • More likely to have better grades, school attendance & lower dropout rate • Build discipline, self esteem, confidence, and independence • Learn team work, skill development and goal setting • Promote healthy lifestyle • Students with disabilities do not receive the same amount of physical activity and athletic opportunities as students with disabilities •
INCLUSIVE SPORTS Integrated (mainstream/inclusive): Students with disabilities participate alongside students without disabilities in the same team & could have their own division • Track and Field • Swimming • Tennis • Alpine Skiing Adapted: Disability specific sports and could include students without disabilities • Wheelchair basketball • Boccia • Goalball • Sled Hockey Unified/Modified: Sports designed for individuals with intellectual disabilities and can include individuals with physical disabilities • Special Olympics Unified Sport Program
INCLUSIVE SPORTS • Students who participate in wheelchair track and field maybe have cerebral palsy, spina bifida, a spinal cord injury, an amputation or other permanent physical impairments • Many ambulatory athletes do not require special modifications in training or in competition • Students who take part in adapted track and field do not have an intellectual disability. Those students with intellectual and development disabilities take part in Special Olympics
ROLE OF COMMUNITY PROGRAMS Be prepared to answer the question of: “What can your adaptive organization do for our school? ” • Ways to consider being a local resource: • • • Adapted sports training for coaches, officials and PE teachers Disability and adapted sports education Adapted sports demo event at schools Presentations to classes on adaptive sports Regional & national competitive disability sport opportunities (especially for summer or off season) • Adaptive equipment • Access to facilities • Transportation • Schedule an in-person meeting with key staff, including coaches • Conduct transition meeting at school
GETTING A PROGRAM STARTED • Assess community school programs and needs • Identify students with disabilities to participate • Evaluate existing models in other states and see what kind of sport or model would be a good fit for the district/county • Get buy in from key staff and partners through meetings
GETTING A PROGRAM STARTED • Develop a plan üstandardized seasons üregular-season and post-season competition ürule modifications ümodify policies üestablish process for conducting individualized assessment üsafety guidelines üidentify schools/districts that want to participate ühost training session(s) for school coaches and officials üidentify equipment needs and additional resources needed • Partner with adaptive sport organizations • Implement program & add sports
CURRENT INCLUSIVE MODELS • Based on information collected by U. S. Paralympics and online research, there are currently approximately 25 states providing mainstream adapted/para sports opportunities—varying models • Most popular sports: Track & Field, Swimming, wheelchair basketball • Some states allow points to be scored while other only offer exhibitions for now
SAMPLE INCLUSIVE PROGRAMS University Interscholastic League Works closely with Texas Regional Paralympic Sport program and established a five year plan • 2013 -2014 in T&F: 13 Athletes Participated, 11 at the State Meet, 12 loaned equipment. • 2014 -2015 in T&F: 24 Athletes Participated, 15 at State Meet, 24 loaned equipment • 2015 -2016 in T&F: 18 Athletes Returning, 27+ New Athletes, over 45 athletes loaned equipment, 2 athlete’s playing on Collegiate Sports Teams • Swimming is also offered Illinois High School Association Works closely with Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association • Includes division for wheelchair athletes for track and field to advance to state, can earn points • No standards for ambulatory athletes who have a physical or visual disability to advance to state • Includes division for swimmers who have a physical or visual disability including the ambulatory to advance to state, can earn points
SAMPLE INCLUSIVE PROGRAMS California Interscholastic Federation • • In November 2015, CIF officially partnered with U. S. Special Olympics, U. S. Paralympics and the California Department of Education to provide opportunities in track & field and swimming CIF went on the road and spoke at every AD, school board, Superintendents conference; worked with 10 section offices to get the correct information to member schools and temper their fear of the Inclusive Sports program Ohio High School Athletic Association • Since 2011, Adaptive Sports Program of Ohio (ASPO) has worked with students to equip them with racing wheelchairs and assists track coaches and athletic directors through the integration process • ASPO was awarded funding in the Ohio FY 2016/2017 budget to create a school based adaptive pilot program • In January 2016, launched wheelchair basketball in partnership with the Wooster City School District. Solidified a second district and working with Akron City school district to create the second program
ATHLETE IDENTIFICATION • School staff (athletic directors, coaches, PE teachers, Special Ed teachers, OT’s & PTs, nurses) can be advocates and help identify athletes so make sure they know about the adaptive sports being offered in the school • Community adaptive sports programs should encourage athletes to connect with school coaches and staff about participating in sports; YMCAs, Boys & Girls clubs; know your community • Current athletes and classmates (peer recruitment) • Educate parents (and have translators available) Recruitment can be hard & it should never stop!
ACCESSING ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT • Students can apply for adaptive equipment granting organizations & foundations: • • Athletes Helping Athletes Be Perfect SCI Foundation Challenged Athletes Foundation High Fives Foundation IM ABLE Foundation Kelly Brush Foundation Michael-Ryan Foundation • • SCORE Team Possibilities The Independence Fund Triumph Foundation Wheel to Walk Will 2 Walk Local service groups (Kiwanis, Rotarys) • Purchase equipment from companies: Sample supplier list (listing on www. disabledsportsusa. org/sports/adaptive-equipment/) COMPANY Champramp Flag. House Quickie Targe Innovations Eagle Sports. Chairs Per 4 Max Spin Life Sport Aid High Performance Top End Xcalibur EQUIPMENT Boccia Ramps Indoor Boccia Balls Handcycle Ball, Goggles, Goal Handcycle, Basketball, Multi-Court, Field Events, Rugby, Racing, Tennis Sport Chairs Handcycles, Court Chairs, Racers Tennis, Basketball, Racing Handcycles, Sports Chairs, Racing chairs
CAF GRANT OPPORTUNITY The CAF Grant Program provides support to individuals with permanent physical challenges. Grant types include: • Adaptive sports equipment or athletic prosthetics • Travel and competition funds • Coaching and training expenses
ACCESSING ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT • Various types of adaptive equipment loaning programs through community adaptive sports programs • • Winter and Summer equipment City or state specific Most require membership/affiliation to program Fee based or free with program membership • Find adaptive programs near you: Disabled Sports USA or Paralympic sports club finder • Sample programs: Organization Achieve Tahoe Adaptive Sports and Recreation Association Arizona Disabled Sports ARK Advocated Blaze. Sports America Cannonsburg Challenged Ski Association Challenge Alaska Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association National Ability Center National Sports Center for the Disabled Location Truckee, CA San Diego, CA Mesa, AZ Dubuque, IA Norcross, GA Ada, MI Anchorage, AK Lake Forrest, IL Way Park City , UT Denver, CO Type of equipment loaned Winter Sports Equipment Handcycles Adaptive Sports Equipment Winter Sports Equipment Adaptive Sports Equipment
Q&A • What’s your key take away today? • Share your story! Do you have any best practices or challenges you’d like to share? • How will you get more students with disabilities in the game? • Connect with us! Huayra Gomez-Garcia: hgomezgarcia@dsusa. org Cindy Housner: chousner@glasa. org • For resources visit: www. athleticsforall. org Thank you!
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