|
Adaptive Sports And Recreation Archives Index
|
Subscribe
|
|
| << September22, 2004 - Issue Update |
October20, 2004 - Adaptive Sports And Recreation, October 20, 2004 >> |
|
================================================= Adaptive Sports & Recreation ================================================= October 6, 2004 Vol. 1, Issue 1 Stephen Michael Kerr, Publisher stevekerr@ev1.net Copyright 2004, Stephen Michael Kerr. ================================================= Privacy Policy ================================================= Your privacy is very important to me. Your e-mail address will never be sold, shared, or distributed with anyone. You may forward copies of this newsletter to friends and family, as long as you have their permission to do so. If you feel you have received this ezine in error, you may unsubscribe at any time; information on how to unsubscribe is at the bottom of this ezine. ================================================= In This Issue ================================================= - From The Publisher - Spotlight: 2004 Paralympics, by Stephen Michael Kerr - Profile: "Runner's Amazing Comeback No Surprise to April" - In The News - Keeping Fit: "Warning! Lack Of Exercise Could Be Harmful To Your Health by Laura Turner - Your Feedback - On Deck - Contact Information ================================================= From The Publisher ================================================= Welcome to Adaptive Sports & Recreation, the free ezine delivered to your inbox every other Wednesday. You'll read about playing baseball without being able to see, or water ski despite being in a wheelchair. You'll also find helpful links to organizations that support these and other similar activities. Your feedback is always welcome. Please e-mail me at: stevekerr@ev1.net Have you ever had an idea that you just couldn't get out of your head, and the more time went on, the stronger it became? Well, that's how it was with planning this ezine. The thought first came to me about a year and a half ago, but at the time, I knew virtually nothing about e-mail publishing. That's the beauty of the Internet, though: you can find out how to do just about anything by surfing the Web, and that's what I did. I have also contacted many of the adaptive sports organizations you will read about in these issues, and their enthusiasm and cooperation has been wonderful. The purpose of this ezine is not only to promote adaptive sports for the disabled, but to show that a disability doesn't prevent a person from leading a fulfilling, active life. I have played some of these sports myself, so I have firsthand knowledge of the feelings and obstacles these athletes have overcome, and the joy such activities can bring. In each issue, you'll find articles describing how these sports are played, inspiring stories about people who didn't allow their disabilities to keep them from pursuing their dreams, plus many links you can go to for more information. There will even be a health and fitness column that anyone can benefit from, disabled or not. What you *won't* find are a bunch of useless or dishonest ads that offer that do nothing except mislead you and clutter the publication. Though I hope to eventually have some advertising to keep this ezine free for everyone, these ads will be carefully selected, and will not distract or offend you. I also plan to offer other informational materials on adaptive sports and disabilities sometime in the future, in the form of e-books and special reports. I look forward to becoming more acquainted with you, and I am always willing to answer any questions you may have, about adaptive sports or just disabilities in general. Don't be shy. As the old saying goes: "there's no such thing as a stupid question." Have a great day! ------------------------------------------------- Stephen Michael Kerr is the publisher of Adaptive Sports & Recreation, as well as a radio broadcaster and freelance writer in Austin, Texas. Blind since birth, Stephen has written various articles and given numerous speeches on disability awareness. ------------------------------------------------- ================================================= Spotlight ================================================= 2004 Paralympics by Stephen Michael Kerr Back in August, much of the world was focused on Athens, Greece, site of the 2004 Summer Olympics. The excitement of that event had just begun to die down when the city welcomed more athletes for another set of Summer Games: the 12th Paralympics for disabled athletes. The Paralympic Games (not to be confused with the Special Olympic World Games), took place Sept. 17-28, with athletes competing in 19 sports. They began with an opening ceremony at the Olympic Stadium, where nearly 4000 athletes from a record 136 countries paraded. Costis Stephanopoulos, President of the Greek Republic, declared the opening of the Games, and addresses were given by the President of the International Paralympic Committee and the President of Athens 2004. Competition began Sept. 18 with eight sports in eight venues around Athens, and it didn't take long for records to start falling. In track cycling, Britain's Aileen McGlynn and Helen Hunter captured the first gold medal of the Games, setting a new world and Paralympic record in the womens tandem 1 kilometer time trial, with a time of 1:11:160. Karissa Whitsell and Katie Compton of the U.S. won the silver. The U.S. womens wheelchair basketball team followed the example of their Olympic counterparts, taking the Gold Medal on the next-to-last day of competition with a 56-44 win over Austrailia. It was the first gold medal for the U.S. women since the 1988 Seoul Paralympics. Jennifer Warkins led the way with 21 points, 15 rebounds, and six steals, while Christina Ripp had 16 points and seven boards. On the last day, finals were held in three sports: five-a-side football, mens wheelchair basketball, and boccia, where players throw colored leather balls as close as they can to a white target ball. Brazil won the gold in football, Canada captured the gold in mens basketball, while Spain and Portugal won six and five golds, respectively, in the boccia mixed pair, mixed team, and mixed individual events. The Games were not without tragedy. Because of a road accident that claimed the lives of seven schoolchildren traveling to Athens, the Paralympics wrapped up with a modest closing ceremony at Olympic Stadium, featuring a moment of silence. China had the most gold medals with 63, followed by Great Britain with 35, Canada, 28, and the U.S. had 27. A total of 752 world and Paralympic records were broken during the 11 days of competition. Like the Olympics, only the best from around the world have the privilege of competing in the Paralympics, and must go through an intense training program. The only difference: these athletes have a functional disability which prevents them from taking part in the Olympic Games. Athletes are categorized into different classifications according to the level and type of disability, to ensure fairness. the same spirit that makes the Olympics a great worldwide tradition was felt in the Paralympics. Disabilities and cultures took a back seat to determination and outstanding athletic achievement. Though the Paralympic flame was extinguished at the closing ceremony, its glow will live in the hearts of those who were a part of the event. In four years, when the Games come to Beijing, the spark will once again be rekindled. ------------------------------------------------- For a complete rundown of results and sport descriptions, visit http://www.athens2004.com/en/ ------------------------------------------------- * If you have an idea for a spotlight on a particular adaptive sport or organization, send it to: stevekerr@ev1.net with "Spotlight" in the subject line. ================================================= Profile ================================================= "Runner's Amazing Comeback No Surprise to April" The hopes of the U.S. Disabled Track Team brightened considerably last year with the amazing addition of talented runner April Holmes. Amazing, that is, to everyone but April. A seasoned track athlete who earned a four-year college scholarship on the merits of her speed and was named to both CIAA All-Conference and NCAA All-American teams, April competed in cross-country as well as indoor and outdoor track events throughout her school years. Her abilities and hard work helped her score numerous awards in the 400m, 800m, 4x 400m, and long jump as part of the Norfolk State University track squad. ???During my senior year at the conference championships, I ran and placed in every running event except the 100m,??? she noted simply. After graduating from Norfolk in 1996, April continued her athletic regimen by playing pickup basketball games in a recreational league while working full time for Verizon Wireless as a switching equipment technician. She??™d also started working on her masters degree in business education at Drexel University when an accident involving a train put an abrupt halt to her life on January 22, 2001. ???When I woke up in the recovery room, I found out my leg had been amputated below my knee. I was dealing with the possibility of never running or playing basketball again,??? she continued. Within days, the physician who??™d performed her surgery brought her copies of disability magazines fromWeMedia and the Amputee Coalition of America. At her prosthetist??™s office, she discovered CHALLENGE Magazine in the waiting room. Both professionals encouraged her to get involved in disability sports as soon as possible. ???I am so grateful that I had knowledgeable medical experts who were aware of disability sports,??? April stressed. ???I??™ve met so many people with disabilities who never received this information. Since then I??™ve encouraged others and taken a lot of this information back to my amputee support group!??? At her initial entry in disabled sports at DS/USA??™s 2002 International Challenge Track Meet in Orlando, Florida, April astounded fans and Paralympic officials alike. She??™s literally been off and running ever since, qualifying for the U.S. team at the 2002 IPC World Championships in France where she took silver in the 100m and 4th in the 200m. In the meantime, April balances a full schedule of work, training, studying for her MBA online through the University of Phoenix, and looking ahead to disability meets in late spring in Maryland and California. A native of New Jersey and resident of Somerdale, she??™s single and enjoys activities with her parents, sisters, and their children. A left below knee amputee, she wears an Otto Bock C-Sprint with an ALPS Easyliner for competition, and an Ossur Vari-Flex foot for walking. Her prosthetist is Robert Austin, CP, of Hanger in Edison, N.J. ------------------------------------------------- This article was reprinted from Challenge Magazine, Spring 2003. Used by permission. * Editor's Note: Since this article was written, April competed in the 2004 Paralympics, and set a world record in the 100 meters, for her classification, finishing with a time of 13.51 seconds. ------------------------------------------------- * Have an idea for a profile? Just send an e-mail to: stevekerr@ev1.net with "Profile" in the subject line. ================================================= In The News ================================================= The 2004-05 season has begun for the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA). Well over 150 teams from around the country have registered. For more information visit http://www.nwba.org The National Beep Baseball Association held its 2004 World Series Aug. 4-8 in Columbus, OH. The Taiwan Home Run became the first team outside the United States to capture the championship, beating the Kansas All-Stars. Beep Baseball is played by blind individuals using a softball with a battery-powered beeping mechanism and cone-shaped bases connected to a remote-controlled buzzer. To find out more, visit http://www.nbba.org * If you know of an adaptive sports event for this section, send it to: stevekerr@ev1.net and put "News" in the subject line. ================================================= Keeping Fit ================================================= Warning! Lack Of Exercise Could Be Harmful To Your Health Copyright 2003, Laura Turner You know it??™s bad when the Surgeon General issues a warning that lack of exercise is hazardous to your health. And that was back in ??™96. Since then, the stats haven??™t improved much, either: 25% of the American population is still sedentary and 60% do not exercise regularly (Reference: http://www.cdc.gov). For fitness minded folks, we could do worse than to follow the ???hour-a-day??? prescription outlined by the Surgeon General??™s Healthy People Report. It??™s just a guideline, of course and, as you already know, any amount of activity packed into your busy schedule is going to earn you healthy rewards. But there are plenty of other reasons to exercise. ???If people exercised only moderately,??? says Janet Kneiss, Physical Therapist, ???there would be far less incidence of injury. The 15 or so people I see daily, who come in with back and neck problems, usually don??™t want to exercise, they want a quick fix.??? The solution as she sees it? ???I think, if people could just reframe the idea of it [exercise] being so much work and focus more on the enjoyment of doing it,they would find the experience more positive.??? So, if exercise alone can keep you injury and disease free, how do you keep it from being just another thing ???to-do???? Here are a couple ideas: Do something you enjoy: This sounds incredibly simple, but it??™s worth mentioning. As we??™ve already said, most seasoned fitness fanatics as well as neophytes will be the first to tell you: if you do something you enjoy, you will stick to it. What do you like to do? Walk? Run? Spin the treadmill while watching the tube? Or how about branching out and trying something unique and different like kick-boxing or martial arts? It??™s a great idea to add variety; it will keep your exercise fresh and interesting. Mix it up! Speaking of variety, you can also mix up your routine. For example: try splitting up your exercise sessions. If you take a half-hour walk in the morning, take a half-hour to stretch or resistance train in the afternoon. Just adding a bit of variety could spice things up and keep you motivated. Make an appointment with yourself. Make the commitment to exercise by making an appointment with yourself. Write it on your calendar. If you??™ve never exercised before, start slow [10-15 minutes] then build up. Begin exercising three times a week, then slowly build up your time and your frequency. If you love to exercise, try listening to your bio-rhythms. If you can, schedule exercise during peak energy periods. Strive for your personal best. A friend e-mailed to tell me he was gearing up for another 5K relay race. I wasn??™t surprised. When he was 50, never having run before and not having ???runners genetics??? as he puts it, he decided at 15 pounds overweight and asthmatic, he was going to run. He made up his mind. For a year he trained, dropped the weight and signed up. His first goal was simply to finish. Did he do it: you bet. Did he work through an asthma attack to get across the finish line? He did, but he kept going. Now, he continues to train and improve his time with each race. His secret, he tells me: enjoy the journey, live in the moment, and focus on your personal best. ???So, Laura, what??™s the take home message???? you ask. Never mind what everyone else is doing. Stay focused on you, doing what you enjoy and what is fun and exciting for you. Learn everything you can about health and fitness. Then, do the best you can. In so doing, you will be an inspiration for others. To summarize: A quote from one of my favorite inspirational writers Dr. Wayne Dyer, who says: ???I don??™t want to be better than anybody, I just want to be better than I was yesterday.??? Laura Turner, Certified Personal Trainer has developed a series of health, fitness, and nutrition tips available at ===> http://www.1brand-new-body.com In 21 days you can create healthy new you,let her show you how! Get her free report: 7 Steps to a High Performance Body by sending a blank email to: ===> hiperformbody@getresponse.com This article was originally written: October, 2003 ================================================= Your Feedback ================================================= Your questions, comments, and suggestions are always welcome. Just e-mail me at: stevekerr@ev1.net with "Feedback" as the subject. Your e-mail address will not be published, and only your first name or initials will be used. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. ~*~*~*~*~ I am looking forward to receiving your newsletter soon. From what you have described, it looks to be quite interesting. Sincerely, Jutta ================================================= On Deck ================================================= Here's a peek at what's coming up in the next issue. * World Wheelchair Sports is dedicated to promoting recreational and athletic opportunities for people with mobility impairments. You'll read about them in the next Spotlight. * After being hit by a drunk driver at age nine, Canadian Patrick Anderson discovered wheelchair basketball, and helped Canada win the gold in Athens. His inspiring story is in our next Profile. * Guest contributor Dianne Villano says in order to do everything better, you need to build a strong core. Find out what she means in the next Keeping Fit. ================================================= Contact Information ================================================= Stephen Michael Kerr, Publisher stevekerr@ev1.net 1218 Hughmont Dr. Pflugerville, Tx 78660 Subscriptions to this ezine are free. To subscribe, send a blank e-mail to: 41809-subscribe@zinester.com To unsubscribe, send a blank e-mail to: 41809-unsubscribe@zinester.com ================================================= Disclaimer ================================================= Although we believe our advertisers to be honest in their business practices, we cannot be held responsible for the products or services they offer. Please make sure to check out all offers before you buy. http://archives.zinester.com/41809 |
|
| << September22, 2004 - Issue Update |
October20, 2004 - Adaptive Sports And Recreation, October 20, 2004 >> |
|
Adaptive Sports And Recreation Archives Index
|
Subscribe
|
|
|
Archives powered by Zinester's Mailing List Service
Details on Adaptive Sports And Recreation |
Browse for more newsletters at Zinester's Ezine Directory
Managed by Zinester's Mailing List Management |