Health & Fitness
Uniquely-abled...not Disabled
Exercise, fitness, being part of a team are important to these unique and special people too. No Limits Wheelchair Sports provides this and more!
This blog may seem a little off subject than my usual articles but in reality it still touches on health and fitness...just in a different genre.
Nearly every Saturday during the fall and winter, my family and I look forward to a high octane game of basketball or football, depending on the season. My husband is a referee, my son plays, and I assist a very special player so I guess you could say it is a real family affair.
This is a unique league of unique players. For one thing, the players ages range from six to 60 plus. We have just as many female players as male players. Most of the players have physical or neurological challenges from birth or caused by an accident. Some team members are a sibling, child, or parent of a player who enjoy sharing the level playing field with their loved one. Some, like my son, are a friend to a player and just want to be part of something really special. What makes this league so unique is everyone plays from a wheel chair, whether you can walk or not. The rules accommodate each player's special contribution to the game. For instance, if the player has limited use of their hands, the football only needs to touch their person or chair and they are "carrying the ball." Everyone wants everyone to do well and to win. I find myself cheering for both teams!
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My son says it so well, and coming from a 15-year-old it means a lot, "These people are just so happy and so nice." And, it is true. If most of us just spent one day with these special people and their families, we would feel ashamed of ourselves for complaining about anything or being less than kind to others. These unique folks and their families could teach us so called "normal" people some big life lessons! Are any of us truly normal anyway? We all have something in our lives or inside that we think holds us back.
No Limits Wheelchair Sports is a great avenue for not only exercise and fitness, development of social skills, confidence building, and just plain fun, it is a community of people who understand, accept and embrace differences. It focuses on totally accommodating the special needs of these very special people. As, I have discovered by being involved with special needs..."accessible" doesn't mean "accommodating." It's really just a "requirement" that often greatly misses the mark. It is not so much the "disability" that is so difficult but the lack of "accommodation for disability." That is an entirely different article.
Find out what's happening in Cummingwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Prior to game start, we all proudly recite the Pledge of Allegiance, a young man boldly leads us in the Star Spangled Banner, the whistle blows and the game begins! There's a lot of cheering and excitement...and joy. It's really not that different....but it is unique!
The league is in need of a 6x10 covered trailer to transport wheelchairs and also for sports wheelchairs in decent condition. Donations or items at reasonable cost would be greatly appreciated! Stop by and watch a game sometime soon!
Contact us through this link: No Limits Wheelchair Sports
