Wheelchairs
Rehab on Rollers
Athletic wheelchair competition began 24 years ago. The
impetus for what eventually became known as the National
Veterans Wheelchair Games was the wheel chair sports
involvement for many years by the U.S. Veterans Affairs
department. After World War II ended, the disabled veterans
started to play basketball in their wheelchairs while they
recuperated in the various VA hospitals in the United
States. From its basketball start these wheelchair games
soon extended to swimming, archery, track and field, and
bowling. Several Non-profit organizations grew up around
this wheelchair sports enthusiasm.
Wheelchair sports and competitive events during the
wheelchair games now include archery, weightlifting, air
guns, basketball, bowling, nine ball, power relays, trap
shoots, motor rallies, rugby, slaloms, power chair 220, hand
cycles, softballs, swimming, table tennis and track. Each
year the competition in wheelchairs by disabled and
paralyzed veterans expanded in numbers. The U.S. Veterans
Administration premiered its Recreation Therapy Services in
1980, the focus of which was on spreading the word about the
rehabilitative affect of these games in wheelchairs. VA
therapists now recognize and use these wheelchair sports as
therapeutic tools for disabled veteran recovery.
There are qualifications for competing in these wheelchair
games. Not to eliminate anyone but to put them in a category
with others who have similar disability levels. A medical
exam is a requirement that helps to categorize these
participants. If a veteran is a quadriplegic she might end
up in one of three categories. If he is a paraplegic he will
be in one of four categories. If an amputee participates he
will according to his amputation degree, while those with
such impairments as multiple sclerosis or stroke are grouped
according to disability levels as well. 1981 was a
significant year for disabled veteran competitors - not on
the International Year of Disabled Persons but also the
first year of the formally named National Veterans
Wheelchair Games. The first sponsor city and medical center
was Richmond Virginia. 74 veterans took part in billiards,
weightlifting, swimming, and table tennis. 14 states of the
US were represented that year. Veterans discovered a great
feeling of camaraderie with each other thanks to their
common bond. National Veterans Wheelchair games bring
hundreds each year as participants now.
The size and complexity of the games had become so vast by
1985 that medical centers were having a hard time finding
the finances and other resources to host them. The Paralyzed
Veterans of America stepped in as co-sponsor and then went
to businesses to ask them if they would co-sponsor as well.
Now these corporate sponsorships help keep the games going
and growing, with more sports and increasingly greater
numbers of disabled veteran participants. Disabled veterans
in the UK became part of the games as of 1987. Now they take
part each year. A new organization known as the British Ex-
Services Wheelchair Sports Association, has hosted
international wheelchair games in the UK three different
years since 1994.
The National Veterans Wheelchair Games is now the biggest
annual sports event for those in wheelchairs anywhere in the
world. Now more than 500 athletes bring their wheelchairs
from nearly every state, from Puerto Rico and from the UK to
compete. The 2004 games were held in St. Louis Missouri, the
2005 games in Minneapolis Minnesota. The 2006 games will be
held July 3rd through 8th in Anchorage Alaska. Right now the
folks putting the games together are busy soliciting the
200+ volunteers they will need to help with meals, with
transportation, setting up the sites, keeping scoring,
timing, take photos, and giving out water. Those interested
in volunteering can apply online. The VA and the PVA both
remain committed to the games and their ability to help
rehabilitate these disabled veterans.
Val Towley is the owner of
Wheelchairs Net
which is an excellent place to find
wheelchairs links, resources
and articles. For more information on this article, please visit: http://www.wheelchairsnet.com/
To The Article Bank, from 'Wheelchairs'
|
