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by Amy Dusek
What child doesn’t reap the rewards of fresh air, building friendships,
serving the community, and a little friendly competition? Recreational
activities and sports play an important role in your child’s life. From
baseball to scouting, horseback riding and camps, there are more programs
than ever before that include or are designed specifically for children with
disabilities.
Fortunately, Atlanta has various programs to offer. And finding them is
easier than you think.
Empowering Your Child
Physical fitness and recreational fun offer added benefits for children with
special needs, who too often miss out on “normal” childhood experiences.
Activities boost self-esteem and teach motor and social skills, including
the delicate arts of winning, losing and teamwork. When they’re involved in
a social club, children are likely to learn the importance of serving
community, protecting the environment and the how-tos of friendship. All of
these benefits add to your child’s overall personal development.
Bev Vaughn and Tommie Storms of the American Association of Adapted Sports (AAASP)
have found that children with special needs are empowered by sports. Their
organization provides competitive sports programs for children with physical
disabilities and visual impairments, because these children are often
sidelined from a true sports experience.
“Within 10 weeks of starting one of our programs, children experience an
increase in strength, coordination, endurance and flexibility of 66 percent
over what they were doing,” says Storms, chief operating officer.
Inclusive or Exclusive Programs
Before choosing a program, parents must give serious consideration to the
type of experience they want for their child. Do you want them in an
activity for children of all abilities, or only for those with disabilities?
Each has its pros and cons. Some sports programs offer both – playing with
able-bodied peers as well as only playing with children with similar
disabilities. The Little League’s Challenger Baseball program and Miracle
League baseball both pair a child with a disability with a typical child to
play together. Other sports associations, such as AAASP, provide sports
exclusively for children with physical disabilities. For exclusive programs,
inclusion can come in the form of peer support.
“What we have found is that able-bodied children are coming to the afternoon
games and cheering on the players and being social,” says Storms. “Kids are
naturally talking with other kids about disabilities, engaging with each
other during school and after school.”
Finding a Program
A good place to start is the Special Kids Resource Guide. The Recreation and
Socialization section lists programs throughout the metro area. Here are
categories of programs to consider for your child:
Parks and Recreation Departments
A good place to start your search is at your city or county parks and
recreation office. Most have a “special populations” or “therapeutic”
division and a regular schedule of group events, sports programs and more.
Scouting Associations
Metro area scouting programs, such as Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Camp Fire
USA, are for every child. Both the Girl Scout Council of Northwest Georgia
and the Boy Scouts accept children of all abilities and prefer to organize
inclusive troops. There are, however, several exclusive Girl Scout troops
based at the Atlanta School for the Deaf. Camp Fire USA accepts children
with disabilities on an individual basis. Program representatives will talk
with parents to assess if they can meet their child’s needs.
Most of these programs provide resources to leaders of inclusive troops to
help them meet the needs of every child in the troop. The Girl Scouts places
girls in age-appropriate troops in their area. Girls with disabilities can
retain their membership until they reach their 21st birthday if they wish.
Children enrolled in Camp Fire USA are also placed into clubs by location.
Sports Programs
No matter what type of sports experience you’re looking for, chances are a
program exists. In the metro area, competitive and noncompetitive sports
programs offer inclusive and exclusive settings. A few of the area’s leading
associations are highlighted below:
Special Olympics
One of the pioneers in the special needs sports community, Special Olympics
offers year-round training and competition for children with cognitive
disabilities. The Georgia association offers 23 sports, including power
lifting, soccer, gymnastics and swimming. In many sports, unified teams of
people with and without disabilities offer a higher level of competition.
Athletes must be at least 8 years old and identified (by a professional) as
having one of the following: mental retardation, cognitive delays, or
significant learning or vocational problems due to cognitive delay that
require specially designed instruction. Children with profound disabilities
can participate in Special Olympics’ motor activities training program,
which emphasizes training rather than competition. For more information call
770-414-9390 or visit
www.specialolympicsga.org.
American Association of AdaptedSports™ Programs
Founded in 1996, the AAASP offers competitive programs exclusively for
children with physical disabilities and visual impairment (ages 6-21)
through specific public school systems. The association offers individual
and team sports such as beep baseball (for the visually impaired), indoor
wheelchair soccer, wheelchair basketball, power hockey, and track and field
events. Teams and individual athletes train with certified coaches. During
the sports season, athletes participate in weekly games and have the chance
to participate in state tournaments. It’s easy to find an AAASP program near
you: call 404-294-0070 or visit
www.aaasp.org.
TOPSoccer
Several local soccer associations offer the program. Information on
Georgia programs is available in the
Special Needs Database.
BlazeSports
Developed after the Atlanta Paralympic Games, BlazeSports offers year-round
competitive sports to children and adults with physical disabilities.
Children can choose wheelchair tennis, basketball, racing, rugby and
swimming. BlazeSports is offered through the Georgia Recreation and Park
Association, and many paralympic athletes and nationally ranked disabled
athletes serve as coaches and counselors. For more information call
770-850-8199 or visit
www.blazesports.com.
Challenger Baseball and the Miracle League
The Challenger Baseball program, sponsored by the Little League Association,
pairs children without disabilities with children with special needs to play
as a team. The buddy helps the child with disabilities hit the ball and
navigate the field. This program is offered through community baseball
associations.
The Miracle League, operates in the same way as Challenger Baseball with a
few new rules. Every child gets a hit, on base and crosses home plate, but
no score is kept. The Miracle League in Conyers, one of four in metro
Atlanta, meets in a state-of-the-art complex made up of four baseball
diamonds. Three fields are grass and used by community leagues, and the
fourth is synthetic turf to accommodate wheelchairs and walking devices. All
amenities in the complex are accessible to everyone, including dugouts,
drinking fountains and restrooms. For more information call 770-760-1933.
Summer Camp Programs
Many county recreation departments, therapy centers and specific support
organizations offer summer day camps and overnight programs for children
with various disabilities. Camp gives your child a chance to meet other
children with the same disability, feel independent, and try new activities.
The hardest part may be for you – letting your child go away for a week or
more is not easy. One resource for finding programs is a guide produced by
the Georgia Learning Resources System. The guide is available online at
www.glrs.org. And the Special Kids Resource Guide has listings of local
summer camps.
Horseback Riding
Therapeutic horseback riding teaches children with special needs basic
equestrian skills. While on the horse, children build their balance,
strengthen muscles and increase motor coordination. A practice closely
related to therapeutic riding is hippotherapy. This is a treatment used on
children with disabilities ranging from autism, Down syndrome, cerebral
palsy and speech disorders. For more information on therapeutic riding and
hippotherapy programs, check the Special Kids Resource Guide.
Building Independence and Confidence
It may be your first instinct to protect your child from possible injury or
hurt. Or you may feel that your child is too fragile to play sports or with
other children. But there comes a point when you – and your child – need a
break from each other. Recreational programs can be just the ticket to a
feeling of safe independence and confidence for your child. These activities
are not only for your child; you’ll get the chance to network with other
parents and take a much needed break from your caregiving duties.
Choosing a Recreation Program
Find a recreational program for your child with these tips:
What type of program does your child need? Ask your child what interests him
– leisure, scouting or a particular sport? A good place to start is your
child and your child’s developmental pediatrician. This will give you
insight into what your child wants and needs.
Once you’ve narrowed down the type of program you’re looking for, begin your
detective work. While you’re researching specific programs, always ask
questions. Verify the instructor’s qualifications, including how long he or
she has been teaching children with disabilities and if he or she is
licensed or certified. Make sure you understand all of the costs and fees.
There may be additional equipment or supplies to purchase and fees for
missed classes or withdrawing from the program.
Before signing on the dotted line, attend a class with your child. You’ll be
able to observe how the instructor interacts with the children. You’ll also
see how the children respond to the program, and you’ll gain a better
understanding of what happens during a session.
Be sure to ask for references: Any reputable program should be able to
put you in touch with participating parents. Once you’ve selected a program,
talk with the instructor about your child’s needs, strengths and weaknesses.
All of your hard work will pay off – thorough research will help you find
the best match for your child.
Reprinted with permission from Atlanta Parent Magazine.
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Many summer
camps fill up their slots by January. Do your research early and get
your child enrolled in a program before it is too late. |
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