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April20, 2005 - April 20, 2005, Issue 14 >> |
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================================================= Adaptive Sports & Recreation April 6, 2005 Vol. 1, Issue 13 ================================================= Stephen Michael Kerr, Publisher stevekerr@ev1.net www.AdaptiveSports.AFreePress.com To subscribe, send a blank email to: 41809-subscribe@zinester.com Copyright 2005, Stephen Michael Kerr. ================================================= Privacy Policy ================================================= Your privacy is very important to me. Your email 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. Some email programs automatically block or filter group mailings, so you may be missing emails and not know it. To make sure you receive each issue of this ezine, please add the following address to your approved email list: AdaptiveSportsAndRecreation@Zinester.com ================================================= In This Issue ================================================= - From The Publisher - Spotlight: Adaptive Badminton Looking To Make a Racket by Stephen Michael Kerr - Profile: Golfer Denies Game Harder To Play Blind by Margie Boule, the Oregonian Newspaper - In The News - Keeping Fit: Surprising Health Benefits for Pet Owners by Patricia Wagner - Helpful Links - On Deck - Contact Information ================================================= From The Publisher ================================================= Welcome to Adaptive Sports & Recreation, delivered to your inbox every other Wednesday. You'll find useful links and fascinating articles about unique sports played by people with many types of disabilities. Whether you're a friend or relative of a disabled individual, an adaptive physical education teacher, or a disabled person looking for ways to lead a more active life, this ezine can provide the information you're looking for. There's even a health and fitness section that anyone, disabled or not, will enjoy. Your feedback is always welcome. Please email me at: stevekerr@ev1.net ********** In this week's "Keeping Fit", guest author Patricia Wagner discusses how pets can enhance our physical and mental health. I don't often stop to think about it, but having a pet can reduce our stress level, bring families closer together, and give them and us much-needed physical exercise. We have a dog named Bridget at our house. She's part American Eskimo, part mixed breed. We got her from a rescue agency over two years ago, and she is the queen of our house. She has had numerous health problems, including heart worms and a bad eye, but she is one of the most loving pets one could hope to have. She's also very protective of us. If Bridget doesn't know you, she will growl and move closer to any one of us in the family that she feels is in need of protection. We take her for walks around the block and to our neighborhood park. She loves to roll over on her back and have her belly scratched, and never gets tired of us loving on her. I can't imagine life without her, and neither can my wife and two kids. One of the things Patricia talks about in her article is how you can reduce your heart rate just by stroking your pet and giving them love. Once I thought about it, I realized how true that is. That simple act can make the pet and its owner feel loved, cherished, and relaxed. That's enough to make me want to do it more often, which would be just fine with Bridget. ------------------------------------------------- Stephen Michael Kerr is the publisher of Adaptive Sports & Recreation, as well as a radio broadcaster and freelance writer in Austin, Texas. Visit his official website: www.AdaptiveSports.AFreePress.com You'll find selected articles from ASR, links, adaptive sports news, and message boards. You can even post your own adaptive sports story or news item. Please support the site by clicking on the Google ads and using the Google search function on each page. ------------------------------------------------- ================================================= Feature Ad ================================================= NewsFlash*SnowPack is an ezine for the athlete in all of us. Filled with health and fitness info, tips, links and recipes, NewsFlash is your source for the latest healthy news. Articles include information about natural pain relief, the latest exercise research, a personal hiking journal, book reviews and so much more. Subscribe today at http://home.netcom.com/~newsflash Or send an email to: newsflash@ix.netcom.com with Subscribe in the subject line. ================================================= Spotlight ================================================= Adaptive Badminton Looking To Make a Racket by Stephen Michael Kerr So you think badminton is just a game usually played with friends or at family picnics? Maybe you're not even convinced it's a sport at all, but a recreational activity one does for fun. Well, surprise! While it's true many people play badminton as a fun activity or a way to relax, it is also a highly competitive sport played all around the world. It was first introduced as an Olympic sport in 1992, and NBC even provided coverage during the 2004 Athens Games. Badminton has even found its way into the disabled community, with an adaptive version of the game played by wheelchair athletes, amputees, and others with disabilities above and below the waist. Although it is not yet recognized as a Paralympic sport, adaptive badminton is played both competitively and recreationally in many countries around the world. England, France, China, Russia, Germany, India, Ireland, Hong Kong, and many other countries in Europe and Asia field competitive teams. The sport is categorized into men's and women's singles, men's and women's doubles, and mixed doubles, and is sanctioned by the International Badminton Association for the Disabled. The rules of adaptive badminton are similar to the able-bodied version, with some modifications to accommodate the disabled. For example, wheelchair singles and amputees play a half court wide version, while players with disabilities in their upper body play full court in both singles and doubles. The size of the court and the height of the posts are adjusted for the sitting and standing versions of the game. In wheelchair badminton, the whole of the chair is considered part of the player's person. Wheelchair participants must play continuously from the start of the match to the end, except for medical attention or in cases where a chair needs repair. Players who leave the court for these reasons must be accompanied by an official. While the shuttle is in play, no part of a player's feet may come in contact with the floor, but must remain in contact with the footrest of his/her wheelchair. Once a player strikes the shuttle, the hands can not touch the floor for support. For a complete list of adaptive badminton rules, go to: http://www.world-disabled-badminton.com/ibad/rules/laws.htm Adaptive badminton has been slow to catch on in the United States, which has a U.S. Olympic Team, but not a competitive adaptive team. The American Adaptive Badminton Association is attempting to change that, encouraging disabled athletes all over the country to learn about the game and field a team. They invite anyone who has good hand-eye coordination, strong flexible wrists, and a desire to learn a new sport to become involved, with the hope of making the game a Paralympic sport. In order for any sport to reach Paralympic status, all participating countries must have a team. To find out more, visit their website at: http://www.activeamp.org/badminton/index.htm ** 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 ================================================= Golfer Denies Game Harder To Play Blind By Margie Boule From The Oregonian, Jan. 27, 2005. Copyright 2005, The Oregonian It's not every day an Oregonian wins a national golf championship. So when Lake Oswego resident Ron Plath prevailed by 10 strokes at the Bonaventure Golf Club in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., last November, it was a big deal. Ron couldn't see the trophy they handed him. Heck, he can't see a golf ball, even on a good day. But as he's learned in the 30 years since he started losing his sight, there are all kinds of ways to see the world. To read the full article, go to: http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/margie_boule/index.ssf?/base/exclude/1112439548296310.xml There is a short form to fill out to access the site, but the article is free to view. ** Have an idea for a profile? Just send an email to: stevekerr@ev1.net with "Profile" in the subject line. ================================================= In The News ================================================= The 61st annual mens and 15th annual womens USA Deaf Basketball tournament will be held Apr. 14-16 in Las Vegas. If you'd like to enter a team, or find out more information, go to: www.usadb.org ********** New York Yacht Club (NYYC) announced they will be the host of the 2006 ISAF World Blind Sailing Championship Sept. 20-26, 2006, in the waters off Newport, Rhode Island. Participants will sail in three divisions according to their degree of vision. Each division will have two sighted guides. Meanwhile, the 2005 U.S. Blind Sailing National Championship will take place in Newport this coming Aug. 25-26. For information about either event, contact Arthur O'Neill, Blind Sailing International Chairman, at: (617) 969-6200. Or, email him at: arthur@carroll.org. You can also visit the Blind Sailing International website: www.blindsailing.org. ********** Tanni Grey-Thompson, Britain's most successful Paralympic athlete of all time, was honored with the Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire insignia at London's Buckingham Palace. The 35-year-old Dame Grey-Thompson has won a total of 16 Paralympic medals, including 11 gold, four silver, and one bronze from five different Paralympic Games (Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004. A six-time winner of the London Marathon, Dame Grey-Thompson has won medals in events ranging from the 100m to the marathon. She is also expected to compete in this year's inaugural Paralympic World Cup, which takes place May 12-15 in Manchester, Great Britain. ** 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 ================================================= Surprising Health Benefits for Pet Owners (c)Copyright 2005 by Patricia Wagner Did you know that there are key health benefits that can result from owning a pet? Having one can enhance your physical, mental and social wellbeing. 1. How can a pet help your physical health? Owning a dog, for instance, will encourage you to get more exercise. With your faithful friend at your side, you're much more likely to go for a walk. Walking is one of the best health activities you can do. While walking you're also more likely to socially interact with your neighbors because your special pal often acts as an ice-breaker. Research led by Dr. Karen Allen at the State University of New York at Buffalo shows that pets can help lower blood pressure. Stockbrokers with high blood pressure were studied to see what happened when they adopted a pet dog or cat. Researchers concluded that having a pet nearby helps control increases in blood pressure due to stress. In his studies Alan Beck, ScD (Professor of Animal Ecology, Purdue University) found that the simple act of petting your dog slows your heart rate and causes your blood pressure to drop. An added health advantage from pet ownership is that patients may live longer after heart attacks. Some doctors recommend that a heart attack survivor adopt a dog because research has shown that a faithful canine companion can help prolong an owner's life. 2. How Can A Pet Improve Your Mental Health? Sharing your life with a cat may help your mental health. A study conducted at Australia's University of New England found that people who own feline friends may experience fewer psychiatric disturbances than those without cats. Pets can help their owners overcome depression through their companionship and unconditional love. They seem to possess the natural ability to help you relax and enjoy life more. Pets can also help when you experience times of loneliness. English poet, Alexander Pope, has stated that histories are more full of examples of the fidelity of dogs than of friends. According to a Chinese proverb, dogs have so many friends because they wag their tails, not their tongues. When you take care of a pet you have to develop a routine of getting out, buying food and providing exercise. This can help fight off depression and loneliness. The simple responsibility of pet care can help you get your mind off yourself and your problems. 3. How can a pet enhance your wellbeing in the area of relationships? AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) President, Link Wellborn, believes that pets are more than just a member of the family - they're central to a healthy lifestyle. Pets help lessen tension between family members and add a lot of fun and unconditional love to the homes where they live. When pets do cute and funny things - which they often do - family members react by laughing and being more relaxed. --------------------------------------- If you don't have a pet yet, consider making one part of your family, but make sure you have the time and resources necessary to provide a stable loving home for your new friend. If you choose a dog as your new pal, remember this wise old saying. "A dog is man's best friend." That's true in more ways than one. You'll get unconditional love, companionship, loyalty and relaxation in return for your investment of time and material resources. What a bargain! ------------------------------------------------------- Patricia Wagner offers informative tips and a f^ree newsletter to help you live a more more energetic lifestyle. Check out http://www.a-to-z-wellness.com. She is also an artist and you can view her original paintings at http://www.artbywagner.com. ------------------------------------------------------- ================================================= Feature Ad ================================================= Please rate this Ezine at the Cumuli Ezine Finder http://www.cumuli.com/ezines/vote.html?pub_code=sporec AOL Users Click Here ================================================= Helpful Links ================================================= USA Deaf Sports Federation Recognized as the only national athletic association to coordinate the participation of American deaf and hard of hearing individuals in international competition. Its purpose is to foster and regulate uniform rules of competition and provide social outlets for deaf members and their friends. http://www.usdeafsports.org American Amputee Soccer Association Promotes social interactivity, self-confidence, and self-esteem for adult and youth amputees through recreational and competitive amputee soccer programs. http://www.ampsoccer.org/ International Paralympic Committee Provides information on the Paralympic Games, and international events related to Paralympic competition. http://www.paralympic.org/release/Main_Sections_Menu/index.html Challenged Athletes Foundation One of the few charities that provides funding directly to disabled athletes. CAF has raised over $6 Million and directly assisted over 1600 athletes worldwide. http://caf.temp.powweb.com/ ** If you have a link to an adaptive sports organization that you would like listed in this section, email it to: stevekerr@ev1.net with "Helpful Links" in the subject line. ================================================= On Deck ================================================= Here's a peek at what's coming up in the next issue. Since 1948, the National Wheelchair Basketball Association has been the governing body of men's, women's, and youth wheelchair sports in the United States, and is the nation's oldest disabled sports organization. Read more about the NWBA in the next "Spotlight". Rudy Garcia-Tolson walks around on two artificial legs. Yet he still managed to complete a triathlon at age 10, ran a mile in 6:20, swims 60,000 meters a week, and was a member of the 2004 U.S. Paralympic swim team. Check out this amazing athlete's story in our next "Profile". In "Keeping Fit", fitness consultant Richard Rigor will show you seven sure-fire strategies to lose fat. ================================================= Contact Information ================================================= Stephen Michael Kerr, Publisher stevekerr@ev1.net 1218 Hughmont Dr. Pflugerville, Tx 78660 www.AdaptiveSports.AFreePress.com There is no charge to subscribe to this ezine. Just 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 practices, we cannot be held responsible for the products or services they offer. Please make sure to check out all opportunities, products, or services before you buy. |
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