After an almost 3 month break...

Obviously I fell off the posting wagon a few months back. That was about the time things started getting hectic finishing up the semester, figuring out internship travel plans, and life in general. So many apologies and I am going to see if I can get this bus rolling again.

As of now I have been in Bonn, Germany for four weeks now and finishing up my third week interning at the International Paralympic Committe. So far I have been working on projects for the 2014 Sochi Winter, and the 2012 London Paralympic Games. It has been great learning how these huge events are structured and the hard work the people here put in every day.

There are a couple of big events coming up I wanted to share with everyone. First is the International Paralympic Day 2009 held in Berlin, Germany on July 11th at the Brandenburg Gate. It is a biennial event that was started in 2003 to showcase the talents of the Paralympic athletes to the general public. So make sure to check out the page to read more about this exciting event.

Also on the horizon is the 20th Anniversary celebration of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). This will take place at the beginning of September and will also mark the 10th Anniversary of the IPC being located here in Bonn. So as you can see, it is an exciting time to be involved is Paralympic sports. Make sure to keep following as I will try to come up with some interesting topics to read about, as well as highlight the upcoming events! Cheers!

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Martial Arts for Everyone

The last class was very interesting as the only martial arts I have been part of in the past were those you see in the movies. I never knew learning to fall down could be so difficult though. Even though it was not an extensive self-defense lesson, it was enough to get a sense that those with disabilities could benefit from some martial arts training. The increased self-esteem that could be developed from these types of activities can make a big difference in the quality of life anyone could lead.

There are many different variations of martial arts, but one I found that is geared towards individuals with disabilities is “combat hapkido”. There is an International Disabled Self-Defense Association that was founded in 1996 by Master Instructor Jurgen Schmidt. His website, Defense Ability has plenty of information available and would be a great place to start for anyone interested in learning more about martial arts for the disabled. During our class time however we focused more on proper falling and basic throwing techniques.

We eventually made things more interesting by practicing our actions with our eyes closed. Unfortunately we did not have any wheelchairs available to give that a shot, but I can imagine it would not have been too pretty. Really, the eyes closed activity was not as bad as I thought. It forces you to go with your instincts as opposed to looking to make sure you hands are in the proper position. Of course we did have the added benefit of knowing that someone was going to simulate attacking us. Luckily we all came away in one piece and with a greater appreciation for the practice of martial arts.

This is something I had been in interested in learning as a kid, but never got the opportunity to do. I hope at some point in my adult life I can take it up. There are many aspects that draw me to martial arts, one being the stress reduction benefits. Learning to breathe properly and channel your inner energy (or chi as it is otherwise referred) are great tools for anyone to learn. All in all this was another eye opening class that showed me once more than just about anything can be adapted to fit the needs of everybody.

Here are a couple of links to articles I found on the topic and a link to a YouTube video on wheelchair martial arts.

How Can Martial Arts Benefit the Disabled?

Karate brings strength and joy to disabled kids

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Finally Some Internship News

I just wanted to share with everyone some exciting news I received yesterday. My long search for an internship with a disabled sports organization has finally come to an end. Yesterday I was offered an internship with the International Paralympic Committee in Bonn, Germany. Now I just have to cross my fingers for funding since it is an unpaid position, but an opportunity I would be crazy to pass up. I will be joining them for around four months from June to September. I hope to find out more soon about what I will be doing and will make sure to keep updating throughout the whole process.

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Simple Tasks While Wearing Gloves Are Not So Simple

Sorry I am a little behind on my posts. The end of the semester is coming quicker than I would like. Writing papers and working on group projects has taken a front seat lately. A couple of weeks ago in my disability sport class we kind of strayed from the sport theme and focused on some fine motor skill tasks.

Working on tactile function tasks were a lot trickier than I could have imagined. Whether it was threading some beads or shuffling cards, if you are not able to actually feel what you are touching, it is near impossible. We simulated these tasks by wearing two different sized gardening gloves. One was very small and snug while the other was too big. Obviously tasks with the smaller glove were easier since you are able to better feel what you are touching.

Some of the tasks we used were from the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP). This included beads and a thread, a pad, box, and pennies, as well as a deck of cards. All of these tests are intended to gauge the fine motor skills of children, but during class they served as a way for us to realize how important the sense of touch is. Without these skills it is difficult for anyone to enjoy such tasks as even tying a shoe or holding a fork and spoon.

Luckily, with practice one can develop the fine motor skills necessary for day to day living. It took me most of the class period to actually feel comfortable picking things up with the gloves on. In your mind you do not think it would be that tough. You soon realize though how much you use your hands throughout the day. I can not imagine having to try and type this right now with those gloves on. I highly doubt it would be legible and coherent. There is something to be said about a room full of seemingly able individuals struggling to put a peg in a hole.

These skills are easier to develop the younger someone is so it is important to take some time to work on a daily basis. It can make a big difference in a child’s life and enable them to have the building blocks necessary to lead as normal as possible childhood.

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Rock Climbing...Difficult no matter how you look at it!

There is nothing like going rock climbing for the first time and having some curves thrown your way. By curves I mean a blindfold and being told to just use one leg. This was just another day in the disability sport class. We were introduced to the basics of rock climbing then basically given free reign to see what we could do. Immediately my fingers and forearms were screaming. I was wondering how I would make it through the rest of the class time. In the back of my head I thought about pacing myself, but it was too much fun.

The rock climbing room in the rec center is small, but has varied terrain to climb on. Flat walls give way to some undulations, then on to some overhangs to navigate. I tried my skills, or lack of, on the overhangs several times to no avail. Each time I would attempt a different section my arms kept screaming to stop. Technically we were told to try and use our legs more than our arms as well as keep the body close to the wall. You try to run those tips through your head, but as soon as you grab on to the wall it all goes out the window. Your natural instinct kicks in while your body is in survival mode. Even though you know you are strapped in and safe, but the mind tells you to hold on as tight as possible. There was little energy left to tell my legs to do some of the work.

After a few times up the wall I did get more confident. That confidence was short lived when it was time to don the blindfold. It would not be a disability sport class unless we had to throw some twist into the mix. Like other activities we have attempted, communication was key to being successful. We partnered up and tried our best to lead each other up the wall. By this time my arms were numb and I was hanging on by a thread. You had to hang on even longer while you tried to figure out where your partner was trying to tell you to make your next move. It was great to experience the difficulty of this. You really learn to trust your senses with each and every move.

Last but not least it was time to try and climb while using just one leg. Another option would have been to try with one arm, but after an hour of climbing already that was not going to happen. It was interesting to do some reading about rock climbing with a disability. Some people choose to use a prosthetic while others prefer to go without. It really seems to be personal preference as I was not able to find anything that said one way was better than the other. Using one leg forced me to concentrate more as I actually found I did use my one leg more to help propel myself upward as opposed to relying solely on my hands and arms.

It was great to experience an activity I have always been curious about but never had the chance to try before. Even though my arms tired out rather quick I can see myself going back to try and get better. There are many aspects of rock climbing that I would still need to learn, but this was the perfect way to get introduced to the sport. The most refreshing part was knowing that this sport, like all the others we have played, can be done by anyone. Here is a nice article I found on the Disabled Sports USA website. Make sure to check it out to learn more about rock climbing, no matter what your ability is.

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Goalball

As the name implies the object of the game is to get the "ball" in the "goal". This game was designed for the blind or visually impaired and to level the playing field all competitors must wear blindfolds. The ball used has bells inside of it so the players know where it is to be able to defend or make a pass. There are three players per side and to score a goal the ball is rolled towards the opposite end. The defenders use the sound of the ball to determine where to go to block the ball. This is a Paralympic sport that was first demonstrated in the 1976 Summer Paralympics in Toronto.

We played on a make shift court, with ropes as our boundaries. It seemed that we all figured out quickly that if you just laid out your body that was the easiest way to block the ball. This effort did come with some negative effects. There were a couple of heads hit by the ball and a few gut checks here and there. One side seemed to dominate most of the evening. It was definitely interesting how you had to use the rope lines to get your bearings in an attempt to throw the ball in the right direction. Even so, many attempts did end up nowhere near where the player was intending. Obviously those not playing got a good kick out of it. Everyone had equally awkward moments and we all agreed our eye wear was not very user friendly. Our blindfolds consisted of small cloth blindfolds with blacked out swim goggles over them.

After watching some YouTube videos of goalball I realized how unskilled we were. I am sure a lot of practice is required as is typical of any competitive sport. As always it was great to learn about a new sport and experience it somewhat. Just as much fun as playing goalball was reading more about the rules and format, then watching some real players demonstrate their skills online. This sport is around 53 years old and just proves once again that there should be no obstacles when it comes to sport. Below you will find one of the YouTube videos I found and is a match between the USA and Japan. Make sure to check it out and there should be some other related videos for further viewing.

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Sit Volleyball and Wheelchair Tennis

Last Monday was another exciting evening with Mr. Dugan. Jim graced our presence once more and shared two new sports that were sure to have us wondering if we were ever really athletes. Sit Volleyball and Wheelchair Tennis were on the agenda as well as some words of wisdom to share. I will be the first to admit that I had no idea what sit volleyball was until Monday night. Wheelchair tennis I had seen and understood.

Before last week, I thought disabled athletes played volleyball in a chair. Go ahead and laugh at my ignorance. In my head I had it all figured out and thought it would not be a problem at all. Of course I was wrong...very wrong. If you think moving around in a wheelchair for the first time is difficult, then you need to sit on your rear and try to move yourself with just your hands. It was very interesting to learn how to position yourself to be in an optimum position at all times. Just like most sports, you have to be constantly thinking about the next shot. It is necessary to be in a productive position to help your team the most.

We spent quite a bit of time on volleyball because it was the more difficult of the two sports to catch on to. I could have played tennis all night though. It is a game I enjoy playing anyway, so it was refreshing trying to learn it all over again. Like most sports we have learned so far, the basics are the same. The only big rule difference is that you are allowed to let the ball bounce twice as opposed to once. Jim was nice enough to allow more than two bounces though as most of us were lucky to get to the ball by the third bounce. At first we practiced with a partner standing and slow tossing the tennis ball to us. Then we played some doubles, which I am sure if any outsiders were looking in, thought they were watching something in slow motion. No one became a pro overnight...right?

What made these activities so great was how Jim set up the court. Of course our gym is not set up for sports such as sit volleyball and tennis. Using four wheelchairs and some rope we now had two mini tennis courts of which one of those we used for volleyball. Since you never know when you might have to set up activities of this kind, it was nice to get some insight on how to adapt to the environment.

Bringing in Mr. Dugan the past two weeks provided some invaluable experience and perspectives. He is very passionate about what he does and in turn you could see that rub off on each and every one of us. I will admit it does not take much to motivate us to participate because we would not be in a class like this if we were not dedicated to getting involved with adaptive athletics. Overall we learned more than just how to compete in these exciting sports. It had just as much to do with treating everyone as equals rather than thinking in terms of able bodied or disabled. Comfort of life is important to anyone, wheelchair or not, so by finding ways to make sports enjoyable no matter the situation, that is what we are here to do.

Well I am off to class now and have no idea what we are up to tonight. Our spring break is next week and I will be heading to New York City for the first time. I will do my best to do a post later in the week or next, but make sure to tune in. And for all you international visitors that I have been noticing I would like to say thanks for stopping by. I am hoping to have a global reach with this and whether you stumbled by on accident or not, feel free to leave a comment and say HI!!

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USA Volleyball - Head Coach/ High Performance Director USA Sitting Teams

Stumbled upon this job posting on NCAA.org and TeamUSA.org and thought I would put it out there for anyone interested.

Finding this job posting was somewhat ironic since this past Monday we actually experienced sit volleyball. I will write more about that in a couple of days as well as talking about wheelchair tennis and some more insight Mr. Jim Dugan passed along to our class.

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Wheelchair Sports with Jim Dugan

My week in the wheelchair in no way, shape, or form prepared me for last Monday's class. What I thought would be a fun evening of wheelchair sports turned into exactly that. Two days later is when the real fun began though. As I type this I am still feeling the effects of the intensity that comes with wheelchair basketball and softball.

Mr. Jim Dugan, from the Gateway Confluence Wheelchair Sports Foundation, came by to teach us about wheelchair basketball and softball. He is also kind enough to be coming back this next week for more fun. Mr. Dugan is a former Paralympian and co-founder of Confluence Sports who is passionate about wheelchair sports to say the least. First he made sure we all knew how to use the chairs before we began playing basketball. The rules are fairly similar to regular basketball so there was not much extra instruction. At first we played half court to give every one a chance to get the feel for moving around, passing the ball, and taking some shots. After a little while we were then ready for the real deal of full court basketball. This is where the pain began.

We have some pretty intense competitors in our class so there was never a dull moment during this game. Running up and down a court is one thing, but until you have to constantly push a chair around you have no idea how tough this game is. I thought after being in a chair for a week I would do fairly well. I feel like I maneuvered around just fine and was always one of the first getting down the court. That was probably the first mistake. If I could have seen two days in the future I would have toned it down a notch or two. All the while we were playing, Jim would give us pointers here and there. His many years of experience were invaluable in helping us out. It was like learning to play basketball all over again. Unfortunately my team lost a close battle but we would soon make up for it.

Next up was some indoor wheelchair softball. We made some make shift bases and Jim was the all time pitcher. Obviously we did not use real softballs and bats for safety reason, but instead some foam bats and nerf balls. Jim was nice enough to not throw any crazy pitches. He just tossed them in there like we were learning to play ball for the first time. It was very interesting trying to bat without any legs. Someone mentioned to me to use the wheels as your hips by holding the bat with one hand and rotating the chair as you swung with the other. This was great advice and made a big difference in how much power you could get into your swing. Fielding the ball was made easier by being in a basketball gym. There were only so many places the ball could go as opposed to being outside. Everyone seemed to catch on quite well and this time around my team pulled out the victory.

While we were playing basketball I could already feel my traps getting sore. Little did I know that Wednesday morning I would barely be able to move my upper body. I had to cancel the classes I usually teach and rushed to get a massage in hopes of working out the kinks. Most massages are relaxing and enjoyable...this one was neither of those things. I knew I needed to get it done though or the rest of the week would be just as painful. It is now Sunday evening and if I turn my head wrong my neck reminds me of my crazy effort last Monday. I am half scared for tomorrow evening's session with Mr. Dugan. I am sure it will be another eye opener, but if I learned anything from last week, I will be taking it a little easier. You can tell yourself you are in good shape, but if you try to do something out of the ordinary then your body will kindly remind you of your limitations. I never doubted how difficult it would be to take part in wheelchair sports. Like I have said before, you need to put yourself in someone else's shoes (or chair) before you can try to understand their needs and do what you can to address them.

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One Very Inspirational Story

I am not even going to go into details about this video. Just watch it and you will know why I took the time to post it. It is from an E:60 presentation on ESPN and is entitled "Walk On" so you know you are on the right video.

Just click HERE

Enjoy!! because I did.

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Sled (Sledge) Hockey Fun

In last Monday's class we took part in a cool (no pun intended) sport called sled hockey. As I have since found out it is referred to as "sledge" hockey outside of the United States. Of course we did not have access to an indoor hockey rink so we had to simulate the sport in a basketball gym. We sat Indian style on some round objects with rollers (sorry, do not know a technical name), had some sticks that look like mini fighting batons, and used a ball as a puck. Needless to say it was not very easy at first. Before we get into details about our experience I want to go over some of the specifics about sled hockey.

According to the USA Hockey website, sled hockey was started in Sweden in the late 1960s. Hockey being a popular sport in that county, a group of individuals with disabilities wanted a way to continue participating the sport. The actual sled sits atop two hockey blades with space for the athlete's legs to be strapped in in front of them. There is enough room between the blades and the front of the sled to allow the puck to pass underneath the sled. Most of the equipment was designed to be as similar to regular hockey equipment as possible. The players use shortened hockey sticks (one for each hand) that also double as propelling devices. The sticks have picks on the butt end to allow the players to move around. Other than that it is hockey as we know it.

After playing our version for just a few minutes I started to think that it may actually be easier on ice. Our make shift sticks did not provide much grip on the hardwood floor so most of us were using our hands to get around. I doubt the school would have looked to kindly on us using picks to dig into the wood for traction. Since none of us could move around very swiftly this made precise passes all the more difficult. When it got time to shoot for a goal you could see the extreme concentration on our faces as we tried to bat the ball past the goalie. I am surprised anyone made a goal as we only had about a foot (seemed like six inches though) on either side of the goalie. This did make things very interesting and after awhile we ended up changing the teams since one team was obviously adapting quicker than the other.

I would love the chance to try this sport out on ice. I have never played regular ice hockey before and can only skate good enough not to fall so I think sitting down would be more my style. Also, having the picks on the stick to help you move around would be a big plus. I imagine sled hockey players would have to have strong core muscles as I noticed this area was working very hard to keep me balanced the whole time. Just like any sport, disability or not, there is always a learning curve, but I am sure after giving sled hockey a shot anyone would want to do it again and again.

Tonight we will be starting some wheelchair sports. Someone (when I find out his name I will give him credit) who has actually competed in the Paralympics is coming in to share his experience and teach us a thing or two over the next couple of weeks. It should be very interesting and I look forward to sharing what we learn.

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Good Bye Quickie GP

It's time to wrap up my experience in the wheelchair. This past Monday night I sadly returned my new friend, the Quickie GP. The week went by rather quick and I would like to think that I "adapted" to the chair fairly well. It was rough going the first couple of days, but after I worked out the kinks things got a lot smoother. Although I did not quite perfect the wheelie like I had hoped, it sure was fun trying.

After last Wednesday I had a pretty boring rest of the week. The weather did get pretty nice so we went outside around the neighborhood. You do not realize how bumpy a sidewalk is until you have to stroll around in one. That is one thing that held true the whole week...every time I left the apartment I did experience something new. The last day was another day at school with time spent in the gym. I had the students play volleyball and after class I stuck around to hit the ball around. I must admit that it is not very much fun playing volleyball by yourself in a wheelchair. I did find that I was better at hitting the ball over the net than I was shooting three pointers though. I look forward to taking part in some wheelchair sports this semester just to see how tough it really is.

All in all it was a great experience that I am glad I had the opportunity to take part in. This was something that you can not prepare yourself for if you have never been in a wheelchair. I tried to imagine what it would be like and as soon as I sat down in it for the first time all that went out the window. Every day was a new challenge and with it a greater appreciation for those who have to do this on a daily basis. The whole time I kept thinking that if I ever found myself permanently in a chair that at least I would have some sports to keep me occupied. Anyone that grew up playing sports, you realize that it is something you will take with you the rest of your life. You can not let anything get in the way of your passion and always keep finding ways to overcome obstacles.

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Speech/Hearing Loss Simulation

In this past Monday's class we spent some time simulating both speech and hearing loss. Many people are afflicted with this type of disability and I will admit that I have an easier time getting around in the wheelchair than I did trying to communicate with my hands. I have always thought learning sign language would be a great thing to do. I am sure I am not alone in the fact that, although I have had the intentions of learning, I still have not made the actual effort.

We did not spend time learning sign language (other than the motion for "Simon says"), but instead tried several activities to show just how difficult the task was. We all now how important communication is in our everyday lives. When you are reliant on verbal communication you learn very quickly how hard it is when you have that taken away. In our first task we played a great game of "Simon says". The class was split into two groups of five with one group being able to hear, but not speak, and the other able to speak, but not hear. Initially we did not know the sign for "Simon says" which made for some interesting hand gestures to simulate that phrase. Everyone took turns going through different motions and after a short amount of time we all had a pretty good handle on things. Then the rules changed to wear everyone was neither able to hear or speak and one person was giving the directions while the rest of the class followed along. It made it very clear to us that proper signing would be imperative to effective communication.

Next was the most competitive classroom game of baseball you will probably ever find. Of course no actual baseballs or bats were used for safety reasons. Being adaptive athletics professionals we found the next best things, a leg from a table and a fuzzy yarn ball. Again we were put in two groups of five and each team had someone (me for my group) to explain the game to the rest of the team (we pretended no one had ever played baseball before). Even though we were able to speak the directions we were to use body/hand signals to enhance the instructions. I hate to admit that my team lost on a three run home run past our defenders and over the desks, but plenty of fun was had by all.

We finished off our time with a basic but fun game of tic tac toe. Again, we pretended our partner had never played before and explained the rules and object of the game. Most of the instructions were given by writing and going through several tic tac toe scenarios to cover all aspects of the game. You would not think something so simple as a game of X's and O's would present difficulties, but it did. Half of the battle is trying to pretend you do not know how to play the game in the first place. Each partner took turns explaining and playing a couple of games before we divided into two groups again for a game of big board tic tac toe. It turned into a game of who could point and grunt the best so the team leader knew where to make the mark. Technically the grunting should not have helped, but I think by that time we forgot that we were not suppose to be able to hear either.

Even though we spend a limited amount of time on these simulations, I still leave with a greater appreciation for what people have to go through with their disabilities. I try to never take for granted what I have, but you never realize how hard some things are to do until you try them for a bit. It is only then that you can think of ways to improve the experiences for someone with disabilities. This experience might just be the thing to finally get me around to learning sign language. You never know when that ability could come in handy and make a big difference in someone's experience.

In the next couple of days I will finish summing up my time in the wheelchair. The last few days have been pretty uneventful and tomorrow is the last day with my new friend. Then again later in the week I will have another post about whatever fun we end up doing in tomorrow night's class.

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A Daunting Day on Campus (Day 2 with "The Chair")

Ironically, I found myself more nervous today going somewhere I am familiar with versus the shopping areas yesterday. I think that the anxiety came from the fact that in the year I have been at this school I have not seen one disabled student in this building. The building I often refer to is where the kinesiology department, athletic offices, basketball gym, student fitness center, and campus recreation are housed. I found this observation very disheartening because I wondered how many students with any disabilities do not come here because there is not enough equipment or options for them to utilize. Granted this school is known as a "commuter school", but that is still no excuse for not accommodating all students.

It seems like every time I get in the chair, within several minutes, I am encountering some sort of issue. Not only was it around -3 degrees windchill this morning, but I also had to figure out how I would get my laptop bag and a cup of coffee on my lap and into the building without scalding myself. I seemed to find every crack and hole from the parking lot to the building, but was lucky enough to only almost tip over twice (once forward and once backward). I navigated my way to the graduate assistant's office upstairs without any major problems and faced the first of many (felt like hundreds) questions about why I was in a wheelchair. I did not mind answering any of them and all of the students seemed genuinely intrigued about this class I am in and why we had to do this. I definitely took the time to answer any questions and share my experience thus far. I found it odd that out of the nearly 70 students in the three classes I am in charge of, not one student said they had been in a wheelchair for any reason before.

I did get a chance to shoot around after I had my class play basketball this morning. I feel like I am an above average basketball player, but today felt like I was learning the sport all over again. All my life I have been taught to "use your legs Andrew". Never did I realize how much you do use your legs until I tried shooting a simple layup and missed the first three times. My three pointer attempts looked like those 3/4 prayer shots you see at the end of a game (which I obviously missed). I can't wait to go to a wheelchair basketball game sometime to see how the game is really played. Then in the afternoon I attempted to lift some weights and found I was very limited in what I could do there. Shoulder presses and dumb bell curls were the extent of what I had available to me. Maybe I was spoiled by the fact that I know there are some great cable machines that are designed for people in wheelchairs and was jealous that I did not have them to use. I did try though and that is half the battle.

By the time I returned home I think I was just as much mentally exhausted as physically (my lower back was ABSOLUTELY killing me). My hands were starting to bother me towards the end of the day as I found myself constantly moving around the rooms I was in. This did not really surprise me all that much since I normally pace around everywhere anyway. So I will be looking for some sort of gloves to wear next time I will be on campus all day (which will not be until next Monday). Even though this was just the second full day in the chair I secretly wanted it to be over already. Luckily I do not have as busy of a schedule the rest of the week, but I will try to find scenarios to get out and about as much as possible.

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Day One with "The Chair"

We just returned from my first venture out into the public with the wheelchair. Tuesday is an off day for me and with it being around a windchill of 0 here, it would have been easy to just stay inside all day. But...what fun would that have been. It was too tempting to head down the road to a mall and sporting goods store. I figured going during a slow time of the week was the best idea for my first day out in public. Also, just to note that we took Ashley's car today which has a bigger trunk...so lesson learned from last night's troubles with my trunk.

The mall was the first stop and the first thing I noticed myself doing was looking for ramps as we went to our normal parking area. Sure enough there were plenty to choose from. As we entered the mall I told Ashley (my girlfriend) to look at people's faces to see what type of reactions we got. I would have kept an eye out for this, but I was too busy making sure I didn't run into anything. We made our way to the food court only with the occasional stare. Ashley got her food then came over to where I was going to get food from and helped me with that. Little kids seemed to have the most perplexed looks on their faces most likely wondering why an adult was in a stroller like them. Eating was not a problem as I was easily able to stroll up to the tables. Once we finished eating it was time to go exploring.

Next stop was American Eagle. Ashley still has X-mas gift cards to use and I was curious to see if the wheelchair would even fit in between all the clothing displays. Much to my surprise I had no problem getting around and in between everything. I'm sure if this had been a weekend day with more people shopping I would not have had the same ease of time. After we were done there I wanted to go somewhere downstairs which meant we had to find an elevator. You never really concern yourself where they are otherwise. The only one I remembered seeing was near the food court so we headed back that way. Then we perused downstairs just for a bit before finding another elevator to leave the mall.

Before heading back home we stopped by Sports Authority. Obviously being a big sports person I was looking forward to going in here and seeing how the chair maneuvered around. I was disappointed that although the main aisles were big enough, if I ventured off I was not able to fit between all the clothing racks. This made for a frustrating time since I couldn't actually see everything (even though I wasn't actually in there to buy anything).

Tomorrow will be an interesting day as I am sure my students will wonder what is going on. In my leisure activities class I am having them play basketball so I may join in since I am rolling in a made for basketball wheelchair. The other two classes are weight training that I mostly just supervise, but I am going to attempt to try some lifts to see how hard it is. One other thing I forgot to mention last night was the different perspective you get when your eyes are not at standing level. Leaving the campus building I noticed that one of my students is an All-American on the track team. Her picture is towards the bottom of the wall (which I walk by a lot) and I do not think I would have noticed that had I not been in the chair. So thank you Quickie GP for opening my eyes.

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My new best friend...the Quickie GP wheelchair

Ok, so my previous post today was suppose to be done last week but you caught me slacking. In tonight's class we simulated not being able to speak as well as some hearing loss. I will write about that later in the week, but right now I want to touch on my first hour with a wheelchair. You might remember me mentioning in the Disability Sport Class post that I would have to use a wheelchair for a week. Well this happens to my week.

Needless to say that within the first five minutes of having the chair I realized how difficult this week will be. First off the model chair I was given is a Quickie GP (a link I found from SPORTAID that sells these chairs) and the backrest folds down and rear wheels have quick release mechanism, so you know what I am working with. As I exit the building I quickly find out my chair has an alignment issue and pulls to the left. To counter this I must put more force into the left wheel to keep the chair straight. This wouldn't be much of a problem if I was left handed or if I was a body builder. Those of you that do not know me I am a runner and have a runner's body (i.e. I DON'T HAVE BIG ARMS) so I plan to be plenty sore after these seven days are up.

Next issue arises a couple of minutes later when I get to my car. I wish I had a Transformer model wheelchair that folds up into a little box but unfortunately that was not an option. The car I drive does not have a big trunk and after numerous attempts to get it in I got frustrated and just threw it in my back seat (we are allowed to get out of the chairs to load and unload out of our vehicles since we don't have wheelchair accessible rides). Yes, I probably should have went that route in the first place, but I could not figure out why it would not just fit in the trunk. If it wasn't so cold outside I would probably still be in that parking lot trying to get that chair in the trunk (some may call me stubborn).

Fortunate for me I have wheelchair access to the main door of my apartment. I never realized how steep the ramp was until tonight though. For safety sake I did have my girlfriend stand behind me (no wheelie bars on this model). I will admit that was a good workout and my abs (yes I said abs, not arms) hurt more than when I did a medicine ball workout earlier today.

I will be writing a few posts throughout the week as I am sure I will encounter more obstacles along the way. I may even attempt a video blog so you all can see the fun I will be having. So make sure to keep tuning in all week long and look for my post later this week about the non-speaking simulation we did in class tonight. Like I have mentioned before, feel free to leave comments, preferrably with advice and encouragement =)

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Visual Impairments Activity

One cannot anticipate how difficult it would be without sight until you are blindfolded and told to walk around and/or shoot a basketball. Those that attempt this still have the luxury of taking the blindfold off, whereas someone that is blind does not have that choice. Visual impairments were the focus of this class and it was interesting to say the least. Being blindfolded was not the only task, but also mimicking other visual disorders by drawing objects by viewing them thru a mirror.

My group started off with the blindfolds and in a way it felt like cheating. The building we were in is one on campus that I am in on a daily basis. Having some familiarity gave me an advantage, but I still noticed that I picked my feet up more than usual. We also had a guide person (classmate) that would give verbal queues which stressed the importance of communication. There were obstacles such as tables, chairs, trash cans, and stairs, but having someone with vision by your side made it comforting.

Then we made our way down to the basketball court. Having played basketball since I was a little kid, I felt comfortable in this arena. The challenge was to shoot a free throw and hope you came close. Again, we had a helper to line us up and give verbal directions as to our aim. I was fortunate enough to make one on the second try (two guys made it on their first, damn them), but others provided more entertainment with their not near misses. This activity portrayed the importance of muscle memory for those that have a basketball background. It definitely gives you a greater appreciation for those that can succeed in an environment like this without their sight.

Would you think that drawing a circle, square, triangle, straight lines, or even writing your own name while looking through a mirror could present you with any problems? I can tell you firsthand that it is not easy! You would think that since you look in a mirror to get dressed, comb your hair, or brush your teeth, that writing/drawing would not be any more difficult. Drawing a circle gave me the most trouble. I believe it took about five attempts to get a figure that was somewhat circle/oval shaped. On a daily basis there are people with visual impairment that struggle with these so called simple tasks.

Unfortunately our night was cut short due to a wonderful snow storm coming through the Midwest, but it was a great lesson none the less. Although you get a feel for the difficulties others go through everyday, that’s all it is, a feel. You can never really know what someone with any visual impairment goes through unless you yourself suffer from a visual disorder. Any time you try to plan an activity or sport you must take into consideration everyone’s needs to ensure a good time is had by all. I know I enjoyed my experience and look forward to what the rest of the semester brings.

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Disablity Sport Class

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I just got home from my first class of the spring semester, Disability Sport. This course should provide me with plenty of material to write about. Each week we will be taking part in a different adaptive sport and are required to write a two page paper about the activity and our thoughts. So I will post an abbreviated version for all to read. On top of that we have to borrow a wheelchair from the school and use it for a week. This should be interesting and quite the learning experience given that I have not so much as broke a leg and had to be in a wheelchair. I know it is a small amount of time since some of you reading this have to deal with a wheelchair on a daily basis for most of or all your life, but I welcome the opportunity to be exposed to this aspect. We will not only be experiencing wheelchair sports but also adaptive sports for the blind as well as deaf. Other than working with Lose The Training Wheels last summer, helping to teach kids with cognitive disabilities how to ride a bike, this will be my first exposure to adaptive sports. Also, as I mentioned in my last post I will be looking for some volunteer opportunities with some adaptive athletic organizations around the St. Louis area to gain further experience. Please feel free to leave comments or shoot me a message with some of the obstacles you encounter being a disabled athlete or any ideas you would like me explore.

Best wishes for a Great 2009!

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