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================================================= Adaptive Sports & Recreation January 12, 2005 Vol. 1, Issue 7 ================================================= Stephen Michael Kerr, Publisher To subscribe, send a blank e-mail to: 41809-subscribe@zinester.com 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, and encourage them to subscribe. 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 message. ================================================= In This Issue ================================================= - From The Publisher - Spotlight: Blind On Target With Their Sport From the Huddersfield Daily Examiner (UK) - Profile: Quadriplegic Athlete Puts Life Back Together by Stephen Michael Kerr - In The News - Keeping Fit: Stride For Better Health by Patricia Wagner - On Deck - Contact Information ================================================= Feature Ad ================================================= Like our Newsletter? Please vote for our ezine! Visit: http://www.ezine-marketing.com/cgi-bin/ezsearch/vote.cgi?ID=1094716097 ================================================= From The Publisher ================================================= Welcome to Adaptive Sports & Recreation, the free ezine delivered to your inbox every other Wednesday. You'll read fascinating articles about baseball for the blind, wheelchair hockey, and other unique sports. There's even a health and fitness section that anyone, disabled or not, will enjoy. Your feedback is always welcome. Please e-mail me at: stevekerr@ev1.net ********** Our "Spotlight" section shines on a British organization that teaches blind children a number of sports, including archery. I realize this is not exactly a sport that would come to mind when you think of athletics for the blind, but I actually tried archery once. It was while I was in college, and a group of us were taking a class in various sports. When it came my turn to shoot, a classmate positioned me and showed me how to use the bow and arrow. Well, I don't think I ever hit the target, but the good news is, I didn't hit anyone else! Seriously, it was an exhilarating experience to try something I had never even dreamed of trying before. Even though I'm competitive by nature, I realized a long time ago that you don't always have to be great at something, just be willing to give it a try. Being a physical education major, I got the chance to learn a number of sports that I had always heard about, but never experienced. A blind physical education major? Yes, it's true. But that's for a future column. Happy reading! ------------------------------------------------- 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 ================================================= Blind On Target With Their Sport Reprinted from the Huddersfield Daily Examiner (UK), November 16, 2004. Copyright 2004, the Huddersfield Daily Examiner. ARCHERY is not the first sport you would imagine a blind person competing in. But charity British Blind Sport (BBS) have been in Huddersfield teaching blind and partially sighted children how to use a bow and arrow. And the youngsters have proved they have got what it takes. Children from the Huddersfield Actionnaires group took part in a day of archery at the Colne Valley Leisure Centre, at New Street, Slaithwaite. Co-ordinator Susan Robinson, of Honley, said she loves to see the children having a go at sports they would not normally get a chance to play. "They love doing sport of all kinds. We have done football, Jujitsu and even abseiling," she said. "They seem to have really taken to the archery though." Blind people can take part by standing against a frame that allows them to aim at the target by positioning their body correctly. Sue Hobgood, of BBS, said the charity is dedicated to getting more blind people into sports. "Whenever we do an archery session like this one people really enjoy it - especially the children. "As yet archery is not up to Paralympic standards but we are working to get an agreed set of rules and build up a bank of nations that could compete. "We may even have a child here that will go on to be an Olympian in the future." ** 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. ================================================= Feature Ad ================================================= *************************** Need to raise your healthy I.Q.? New Body News is for you! Inside the New Body News and Wellness Letter, you'll find: Motivation; the latest trends in personal growth and inspiration. Interaction; freedom of speech to express your healthy opinion. And more! Enroll now and build a better you. http://www.new-body-news.com ================================================= Profile ================================================= Quadriplegic Athlete Puts Life Back Together by Stephen Michael Kerr When Kevin Hansen was 22, he seemed to have his life well in hand. It was 1975, and he had just gotten married the year before to artist Connie Mohr. He was active in several different sports: skiing, running, and water sports. Everything seemed to be falling into place. But sometimes, life doesn't give us what we expect, as Hansen was soon to find out. While on a snow skiing trip, he suffered a broken neck which left him a quadriplegic. As an active participant in athletics, Hansen, now 51, began to doubt he could ever compete again. "I was always into sports, but after breaking my neck, I thought that was finished," he recalls. Fortunately, Hansen's confidence began to improve as other people with disabilities came into his life. One of them was Roger Anderson, a double amputee runner and basketball player who walked most of the time with out using crutches, a fact that intrigued Hansen. "When he first walked into my hospital room, I didn't think he had a disability," Hansen says. "He convinced me I could still be active in sports." In 1978, Pat Holly, a wheelchair marathoner, approached Hansen to ask for help in raising funds to compete in that year's Boston Marathon. Seeing the lightweight racing chair Holly used to compete in marathons gave Hansen an idea. "It got me thinking that advances in equipment might allow a quadriplegic like me to participate in road races," he says. "Roger Anderson helped me trade my power chair for one of the first mass-produced aluminum sports chairs." With his new chair, Hansen began competing in road races and track meets. He also began coaching other wheelchair racers many of whom have gone on to set world records. The United States Olympic Committee chose him to coach the U.S. Wheelchair Track Team in the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta. Hansen is currently a wheelchair athletics coach and Executive Director of World Wheelchair Sports, a nonprofit organization based in Eugene, Oregon. (You can read more about WWS in an article that appeared in the October 20, 2004 issue of ASR). Just go to: http://archives.zinester.com/41809/28395.html He owes many of his accomplishments first and foremost to his wife, Connie. Roger Anderson is a close second, and the two remained friends until his death. "Roger passed away from cancer in 2002, and I really miss him," Hansen says. ** 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 20th Deaflympics are underway in Melbourne, Austrailia. The Games began January 5, and run through January 16with a record 3,655 athletes and officials from 78 countries taking part in 15 sports. For more information and results, visit: www.deaflympics.com ********** The United States Association of Blind Athletes has announced that the 2005 International Blind Sports Association World Youth Championships will be held in Colorado Springs, Colorado during the week of August 4-10. The Championships will include competition in five sports for blind and visually impaired youth from age 13-19, in track and field, swimming, power lifting, judo, and goalball. Over 100 countries have been invited to take part in the Championships. For more information, contact the USABA'S Nicole Jomantas at: njomantas@usaba.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 ================================================= Stride for Better Health by: Patricia Wagner Did you know that walking is one of the best activities you can do to dramatically increase your level of health? Many people today are afflicted with "coach-potato-itis!" They come home from work, switch on their TVs and forget that their bodies need maintenance. But one day reality comes crashing through when their doctors say, "You have a problem!" This article will show you a simple strategy for improving your health through a fun and inexpensive walking program that promises many benefits. First, it will increase your energy level. Since walking is an aerobic exercise, it helps the heart and lungs become more efficient. Both PCOPF (the President's Council on Physical Fitness) and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK) state that a regular walking program can lower resting heart rates and blood pressure. It can help burn excess calories and increase muscle tone too. Second, walking can enhance your mental health. Taking regular walks can help reduce stress and enable you to sleep better. It can also help relieve symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. When you walk, your body produces endorphins which produce a feeling of well-being. Third, it's fun! The President??™s Council on Physical Fitness (PCOPF) calls walking the most popular form of exercise. It can be very enjoyable taking walks with a friend or loved one or even in groups. My husband and I often take walks at night and discuss our day. It's a special time for me. Here's what you'll need as you begin your new walk-for-health lifestyle. Purchase a pair of comfortable shoes, sunscreen or a hat and sunglasses. Choose loose-fitting garments. Bring along a bottle of water on warm days. But before you briskly stride out the door to begin your new adventure, you'd better check with your doctor first if you experience any of these symptoms: List of 5 items ???? persistent dizziness ???? chronic shortness of breath ???? high blood pressure ???? heart problems ???? chest pain list end When you're ready to begin walking regularly, there are some precautions to take. Walk during daylight hours or at night only in well-lit areas. Be sure to obey all traffic rules for pedestrians. If you decide to wear headphones, make sure you can still hear what's going on around you - like cars honking. Stop and rest if you start feeling sick to your stomach, dizzy or experience unusual pain. Try to walk whenever possible as part of your daily activities. List of 6 items ???? For example, park a distance from stores so you can get some extra exercise going to and from your destination. ???? Why not visit local parks to enjoy the beauty of nature while you're exercising? ???? Check out the neighborhood where you live to find good routes. ???? On rainy days you can walk in malls instead of doing without your exercise time. ???? It's a good idea to make a habit of selecting stairs instead of elevators when you need to spend time in office buildings. ???? It's more fun if you have a companion. This is good exercise for dogs too - they love to go for walks! list end Experts recommend thirty minutes of brisk striding per day. It's best to walk every day, but you only really need to walk five days a week. This can be broken down into smaller segments of time - three ten-minute walks instead of one long 30-minute one. Try to stride as fast as you can without overexerting yourself. You can tell when you are going at a brisk pace because your heart will beat faster and you'll breathe deeper. However, your heart should not be racing and you should still be able to carry on a conversation. So get off the couch, put those chips down, slip on your comfortable shoes and start striding your way to better health! (c) 2004 by Patricia Wagner About The Author Patricia Wagner offers informative tips on living a more energetic lifestyle at http://www.a-to-z-wellness.com. She is also an artist and you can view her paintings at http://www.artbywagner.com. Contact Author: wagner.art@verizon.net ================================================= On Deck ================================================= Here's a peek at what's coming up in the next issue. ** In our next "Profile" feature, you'll read about blind bike rider Billy Baxter, who set a new world record, even after losing his sight. ** When you suffer an injury, should you use ice or heat to help the healing process? Louise Roach answers the question in the next "Keeping Fit". ** Plus: News on the Deaflympics that took place earlier this month in Melbourne, Austrailia. ================================================= 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. |
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