Sports Provide A Welcome Outlet For The Disabled
By Aldene Fredenburg, Thu Dec 8th

In years past, a serious physical disability meant unemployment,isolation, and inactivity for many thousands of people.

No longer. While the Americans with Disabilities Act has openedup the workplace and public facilities to people withdisabilities, many organizations around the country have sprungup, offering access to sports programs both for wheelchair-boundindividuals and amputees with artificial prosthetic devices.Disabled people are experiencing the joy of participating inAlpine and cross-country skiing, all kinds of water sports fromswimming to sailing to scuba diving, and even more extremesports such as mountain climbing and sky diving.

The importance of both competitive and recreational sports forindividuals with disabilities can't be overestimated.Particularly for formerly able-bodied people who find themselvesdisabled, sports can serve as a tremendous motivation in therehabilitation process and can help alleviate the depression,confusion, and loss of self-esteem that often accompanies adebilitating injury. For those born with a serious disability,sports can serve as an important way of connecting to the"abled" world.

Competitive sports for the disabled are experiencing phenomenalsuccess. The world-wide organization now known as the ParalympicGames was founded in Rome, Italy, in 1960, inspired by a 1948competition organized in England for disabled World War IIveterans. According to the Paralympic Games website,participating athletes compete in a variety of sports based onone of six disability-based classifications: amputee, cerebralpalsy, spinal cord injuries, visual impairment, intellectualdisability, and a general

Tourists flock Narkanda in Himachal for snow sportsThaindian.com, Thailand - 9 minutes agoNarkanda offers ideal conditions for skiing and several other winter sports activities for professionals as well as beginners. It is favourite with
DailyIndia.com, FL -Narkanda offers ideal conditions for skiing and several other winter sports activities for professionals as well as beginners. It is favourite with winter ...<br/><br/>::
Teaching skiing a newfound career in Eagle Co.Vail Daily News, CO - 43 minutes agoEAGLE COUNTY, Colorado A Money is often said to be no object for those who live and vacation in the Vail Valley, and for several of the valleyA s ski ...Va
The Ann Arbor News - MLive.com, MI -A 12-year-old Ontario boy who was critically injured Wednesday when he was caught in and dragged by a snow groomer at the Mount Brighton Ski Area was ...<br/><br/>::
SNC's McGinty out for season
North Lake Tahoe Bonanza, NV -Bonanza Photo - Jen Schmidt Jonathan Cherry shows some fancy footwork on the flat section of a slalom training course Jan. 17. &quot;It's tough missing Tyson. ...<br/><br/>::
BC-EU-SPT-SKI-ALP--WCup-Women's Downhill Training, 1st Ld ...PR-Inside.com (Pressemitteilung), Austria - 17 minutes agoOlympic slalom champion Anja Paerson of Sweden was fourth in both training sessions on the 2828-meter (yard) course on
Tahoe Daily Tribune, CA -When Wednesday's Tahoe Basin Ski League giant slalom was postponed due to soft snow conditions, nobody knew what to expect when they arrived at the race ...<br/><br/>::
Skiers hosting Quillin's Cup MondayOnalaska Life, WI - 39 minutes agoThis year's meet will be conducted at Mount La Crosse, Monday, beginniug at 9 am, The order of events will be super G, giant slalom and slalom. ...Confessions from Val
SkiRacing.com -Slalom skier Markus Larsson finished fifth from the 62nd start brightening his prospects for Sunday's combined event (one run of downhill and one run of ...<br/><br/>::
Workout: The water skierDaily Breeze, CA - 2 minutes agoPosition yourself as if you were water skiing on double skis. Lean back slightly, while keeping your knees bent. Use as heavy a weight as possible, ...Alaska's tourism hitting boomT
Seattle Post Intelligencer -&quot;I tried downhill skiing once and it was fun, but I didn't feel like I wanted to go back and do it again,&quot; she said. &quot;This is awesome. ...<br/><br/>::
A Snapshot of Fed LeadersThe Associated Press - 24 minutes agoHe also works up a sweat cross-country skiing, bicycling and roller blading. Mishkin brings sterling academic credentials to the Fed job. ...Women's Nordic Skiing Pushes To Compete At
Ottawa Business Journal, Canada -As a youngster, his favourite hobby was downhill skiing. Since moving to Ontario, he has switched to cross-country skiing. His other hobbies include biking ...<br/><br/>::
It's called skiercross, and Canada has a teamTimes Colonist, Canada - 15 minutes agoHe raced for the Czech Republic at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, finishing 10th in combined, 15th in slalom, 23rd in giant slalom. ...Skiing: Mil
The Massachusetts Daily Collegian, MA -Senior Jason Small had an outstanding performance at the PSU carnival in the giant slalom, registering a first-place finish for the Minutemen. ...<br/><br/>::
Fun to ski or seeChicago Sun-Times, United States - 1 minute ago&amp;quot;The trail's a little icy today,&amp;quot; explained my skiing companion Ned Zuelsdorff, as he patiently waited for me to get up from the snow -- an awkward maneuve
Jackson Hole Star-Tribune, WY -On Monday, heavy snow and wind gusts up to 80 mph plagued the western mountains, shutting down skiing in Jackson Hole and closing highways. ...<br/><br/>::
Pedigree of the Week with Frank MarrionHarnesslink, New Zealand - 1 hour ago... horse that seemed to skim over the ground with no more exertion than water running downhill, his footfalls as light and airy as a ballet dancerA s. ...Newpor
Enterprise-Record, CA -... shifts on the opposite side of Mount Soledad. A large collapse in October sent four houses slipping 15 feet downhill and left two more uninhabitable.<br/><br/>::
City blames rains for mudslide in La JollaContra Costa Times, CA - 1 hour ago... shifts on the opposite side of Mount Soledad. A large collapse in October sent four houses slipping 15 feet downhill and left two more uninhabitable.City b
San Jose Mercury News, USA -... shifts on the opposite side of Mount Soledad. A large collapse in October sent four houses slipping 15 feet downhill and left two more uninhabitable.<br/><br/>::
Cyclists in A 370000 court clash on claim weak grip caused pile-upScotsman, United Kingdom - 1 hour agoMr Telfer estimated they had maintained an average speed of about 18mph, and his speed increased to 25mph on a downhill stretch of the
Ad-Hoc-News (Pressemitteilung), Germany -... release: a Brent's Method routine for single-variable problems, as well as Downhill Simplex and Simulated Annealing Methods for multi-variable problems. ...<br/><br/>::
THE GRAVEL TRAPITV.com, UK - 26 minutes ago... Pollock were no longer together A ending a partnership that began when Craig spotted JV competing in a downhill skiing race at the tender age of three. ...Hunting/fishing reportSan Diego Uni
Times Online, UK -My partner and I would like to spend Christmas in a ski resort for 2008 and are considering La Clusaz. Having had a look at the website though, ...<br/><br/>::
The Crazy Calabogian; Aaron Dowd stars at football and rugby, but ...The Kingston Whig-Standard, Canada - 10 minutes ago&amp;quot;Slalom is probably my favourite because it takes so much technical skill. Once you get good at it, slalom i
Denver Post, CO -And at this tiny little ski area, something like 12000 people turned out for Saturday's giant slalom, another 10000 for Sunday's slalom. ...<br/><br/>::
Even fall can't stop BBA's BenedictBennington Banner, VT - 2 hours agoKILLINGTON A Both Burr and Burton Academy Alpine ski teams took second place in a giant slalom event held at Pico Mountain on Monday. ...World-class skiing at Whistler
Seattle Times, United States -... to the Dave Murray and Wild Card trails, which will be the runs for the men's and women's downhill and super giant slalom races in the Olympics. ...<br/><br/>::
A dangerous raceRocky Mountain News, CO - 10 minutes agoBecause of thin snow, the cross-country skiing leg had been moved to a logging road. Like many such abandoned roads, this one had a big pile of dirt pushed ...The Crazy Calabogian;
Belleville Intelligencer, Canada -&quot;Everything feels good about my game,&quot; said Weir. &quot;I'm kind of sick of the snow and sick of skiing now, so I'm ready to play.&quot;<br/><br/>::
Bay Area Man Dies At Tahoe Ski ResortCBS 13, CA - 4 minutes agoRead more in our Privacy Policy Authorities say a San Francisco man was killed in a skiing accident at Homewood Mountain Resort near Lake Tahoe. ...Cox Hits Slopes With Ski C
Canada East, Canada -&quot;I'm kind of sick of the snow and sick of skiing now, so I'm ready to play.&quot; Log in to access premium content and features on this site.<br/><br/>::
Mike Weir believes 2008 could be his best year on the PGA Tour yet570 News, Canada - 11 minutes ago&amp;quot;Everything feels good about my game,&amp;quot; said Weir. &amp;quot;I'm kind of sick of the snow and sick of skiing now, so I'm
RussiaToday, Russia -The children were skiing and sledging on the mountain slope when it was hit by the avalanche. According to the local emergencies officials' preliminary ...<br/><br/>::
Win lifts Miller to overall Cup leadChicago Tribune, United States - 1 minute agoThe American skier finished in a combined time of 2 minutes 34.58 seconds after winning the downhill in Chamonix, France. &amp;quot;I was wondering this mor
Arkansas Democrat Gazette, AR -... from Arkansas 23 on Forest Road 1003 (White Rock Mountain Road ), a total elevation gain of 3, 500 feet intermixed with 1, 900 feet worth of downhill. ...<br/><br/>::
Miller storms to overall Cup leadBBC Sport, UK - 21 minutes agoMiller, 30, won the downhill section of the two-discipline super-combined and clinched the slalom from Ivica Kostelic and Rainer Schoenfelder on Sunday. ...Miller Wins Super-
Citizen, South Africa -Miller turned on the slalom style to take control of the overall World Cup after winning the penultimate combined event of the season here Sunday. ...<br/><br/>::
Miller Wins Super-Combi World Cup EventLongview Daily News, WA - 38 minutes ago&amp;quot;I fell Saturday during the slalom practice. I have a bruised left hip.&amp;quot; Slalom specialist Ivica Kostelic of Croatia moved from eighth after
Duluth News Tribune (Subscription), MN -&quot;I fell Saturday during the slalom practice. I have a bruised left hip.&quot; Slalom specialist Ivica Kostelic of Croatia moved from eighth after the downhill to ...<br/><br/>::
US at the double as skiers Miller, Sullivan top podiumTurkish Press, MI - 3 minutes agoEurope's skiing elite were pushed into the shadows here Sunday as Bode Miller made sure the USA grabbed a rare double on the men's World Cup circuit.
CBC News, Canada -Bode Miller was victorious in the super combination Sunday in Chamonix, France, to take the lead in the men's overall World Cup alpine skiing standings. ...<br/><br/>::
Miller wins super-combi World Cup eventMonterey County Herald, CA - 11 minutes agoThe American skier finished in a combined time of 2 minutes, 34.58 seconds after winning the downhill run. Miller replaced Benjamin Raich of Austria at the
Yahoo! Eurosport, UK -American Marco Sullivan upset the giants of the downhill Saturday to claim his maiden World Cup win on the 60th anniversary of the famed Kandahar race ahead ...<br/><br/>::
Late-Friday Bets A Roll of the DiceGold Seek - 32 minutes agoThe Dow head-faked its way to an undeserved hundred-point gain Friday morning, but it was all downhill after the opening bar. ...Miller Wins Super-Combi World Cup EventBlueRidgeNow.com,
In-Forum (subscription), ND -The American skier finished in a combined time of 2 minutes, 34.58 seconds after winning the downhill run. Miller replaced Benjamin Raich of Austria at the ...<br/><br/>::
US at the double as skiers Miller, Sullivan top podiumCitizen, South Africa - 39 minutes agoAmerican Marco Sullivan upset the giants of the downhill Saturday to claim his maiden World Cup win on the 60th anniversary of the famed Kandahar
Longview Daily News, WA -The American skier finished in a combined time of 2 minutes, 34.58 seconds after winning the downhill run. Miller replaced Benjamin Raich of Austria at the ...<br/><br/>::

group including individualdisabilities which do not fit into one of the other fivecategories.

Both summer and winter sports competitions give disabledathletes the change to compete in a variety of sports; the listof summer sports includes 21 different competitive sports,ranging from archery and cycling to equestrian, powerlifting andjudo. Five competitions designed specifically forwheelchair-bound athletes include basketball, dancing, fencing,rugby, and tennis. The list of winter sports is smaller, but noless challenging: athletes can compete in either Alpine orNordic skiing, ice sledge hockey, and wheelchair curling.

Children with physical disabilities have special challenges;they're dealing with sometimes substantial limitations at thesame time that they are meeting all the other demands ofbecoming competent, balanced, emotionally and mentally healthyhuman beings. The National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD)offers opportunities for children to take part in a wide rangeof sports activities, from skiing, ski racing, snowboarding andsnowshoeing in the winter to rafting, horseback riding, andin-line skating in the summer.

The Paralympics and NSCD are only two of many organizationsfounded to involve disabled individuals in sports. It's evident,from the success and increasing popularity of theseorganizations, that both adults and children with disabilitiesbenefit greatly from participating in adaptive sportsactivities, and that the benefit extends to all aspects of theirlives.

About the author:Aldene Fredenburg is a freelance writer living in southwesternNew Hampshire and frequently contributes to Tips andTopics. She may be reached at amfredenburg@yahoo.com.