Reflection


Since the beginning of class, there are several important things I have learned about disabilities and sports and how they impact the world of sports around us. 

Learning about adaptive sports has been the most impactful to me. As an athlete for all my life, I couldn’t imagine sports not being accessible to everyone. They have shaped me into the person that I am today, and everyone deserves the opportunity to compete.

The Paralympics and the Special Olympics open doors for athlete of all calibers to compete. In their own ways, these organizations play a large role in inclusivity of athletes with disabilities or impairments. 

I have learned all about the Paralympics this semester and their origin from the Stoke Mandeville Games and Dr. Ludwig Guttman in 1948. It started as a rehabilitation program for those disabled from WWII but eventually grew into the games that we love and know today. 



The Special Olympics originated in the 1960s which started as a camp for those with intellectual disabilities. These games were created to showcase the abilities of people with disabilities in sports and competition. 

Because of classification, impaired athletes are given the chance to compete at the elite level on an even play
ing field. There are athletes will all kinds of disabilities and impairments who can enjoy the beauty of sports.

This class has allowed me to see the importance of adaptive sports. Sports give people from every walk of life the chance to compete. Sports are empowering and allow those with disabilities to showcase their abilities. They can pursue any dream that they have, even to win gold.

Society places such a negative view on having a disability. Places are less accessible, and life is less inclusive for such individuals. Many are discriminated, looked at as less than, and face a lot of adversity.  Sport can become a place that fosters inclusivity and builds up those with a disability to fight hard and win. 

I hope to be able to bring this inclusivity into the future whether it be in the physical therapy field, or as a coach. Every athlete, able-bodied, disabled, or impaired, deserves the chance to compete and participate in sports. And these athletes should never have to feel like they are discriminated against or feel less than other athletes because of this impairment.

I hope to encourage the participation of all types of athletes so they can share the love of sports.

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