Overcoming Adversity: Adventures In Wheelchair Tennis

Its offspring, when planted, continue to grow through many generations, until that one wheat seed has the potential of feeding a starving world. Young Dennis Van Der Meer, a missionary kid from Namibia, Africa, never could have dreamed that when his mother introduced him to the sport of tennis on a primitive dirt field that he would become a world changer. Dennis mainly competed in southern Africa, but soon learned that he preferred to teach tennis rather than be a competitive tennis player.

A friend of his named Jaroslav Houba from Czechoslovakia was already teaching at the club and recommended that the Berkeley Tennis Club bring Dennis to the United States as an instructor at their club. He realized that to grow his own business and the sport of tennis, he had to have additional teachers who could use his methods to teach others. So, during the summers, he set-up camps known as Tennis University to teach individuals how to teach tennis. Once again, because of his teaching ability, Dennis found himself with far-more students than he could teach.

Students came from all over the world as word began to spread about the successful tennis-teaching methods he had developed. So, he developed the idea of setting up a tennis-training center, where he and the instructors he had trained could teach tennis coaches from all over the world. One of the big advantages of the Tennis University system is that Dennis breaks tennis instruction down to its simplest form to enable tennis instructors to teach potential tennis players how to play better in a shorter time. Still, every year, Dennis traveled to Japan, South America and other countries, where he was invited to share his teaching methods for instructors.

By teaching teachers how to teach tennis in different countries, the sport could grow more quickly and more people could be involved. Then when Dennis had an opportunity to purchase a large piece of property in Hilton Head, South Carolina, he accepted the challenge of buying the property and building tennis courts and a pro shop. He built covered tennis courts, so that he and his instructors could teach, regardless of the weather. At that time, he had one facility with tennis courts, and four of those courts were covered.

Next, he built another facility with tennis courts, including three indoor tennis courts. He also developed adult tennis camps and junior tennis camps. As more and more people came to his facility at Hilton Head, Dennis was able to reduce his extensive travel schedule. After completing his PhD, Louie began to work for Dennis teaching tennis in In February, , Dennis had a major stroke.

My husband Louie is now in charge of the instructional side of the TennisUniversity. The PTR is growing at a rate of about 1, members per year. To learn more about the PTR, go to www. Dennis Van Der Meer. Join us for the Wheelchair Tennis Championships. Learn more at http: Leading the Charge Into Wheelchair Sports. Bennie Jose Perez had dreamt of joining the Marine From dancing to triathlons, year-old Vincenzo Clay Garner, a successful entrepreneur and When an orchestra performed at her school, Connie Cardenas grew up running, and even into early When a dear friend was diagnosed with Amyotrophic After falling from a tree while hunting, Geoff As an infant, Zully JF Alvarado contracted polio, After a difficult childbirth in which both baby Over three decades ago, Michigander Shelly Loose Life Their Stories When Wheel: Life learned that two Coloplast SpeediCath users would be What Should You Expect?

After my injury twelve years ago, there were many things I had always After complications at birth, Jacoby Zebinski was As the son of a military man and the daughter When conventional medicine was failing quadriplegic Growing up in southern California, Jesse While studying biomedical engineering in his home When athlete and fitness fanatic Joel Ellen Take a minute to If you like to have As a single mom of a 7-year-old, Amy Sherwood was A little over a decade ago, a group of guys Having grown up on a farm in rural Montana, Clint When a bone infection complicated by lupus took Dating is really hard.

If you have a disability, In , Michigan residents Caroline Booth and Matt Have you always dreamt of seeing the Aurora Borealis in Alaska? Born with osteogenesis imperfecta, Todd Lemay Born with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita, Texas native Sara Schaffer has been Wheelchair California Leadership Institute, formerly known Sheri Melander-Smith was born with a vascular Dealing with slushy, icy, snowy, When a tree-cutting accident in led to broken An earlier version of this post may have left the One of my primary Life reader, you may remember that we During a summer internship at the Center for A botched hernia operation during infancy left James Days are becoming shorter, nights longer, and the holiday season is A Texas coast native, David Gaston has been in and When life-long dancer Beverly Weurding was diagnosed with limb-girdle Justin Malaise grew up in small-town Wisconsin as a Born with spina bifida, Kim Brown has been a Sebastien Archambeaud has always loved traveling, so I would like to acknowledge the leadership of those in Ireland who are committed to increasing the quality and quantity of physical activity opportunities for people with disabilities.

Their proactive attitude enables them to move beyond the obstacles in order to find and implement adequate solutions. They lead the way. May everyone follow their lead. There is a need to develop appropriate opportunities for people with disabilities throughout their life course. The provision of access for people with disabilities to quality physical activity and sporting opportunities must be addressed on an equal basis with those of their non-disabled peers.

The access of people with disabilities to physical exercise, through recreational and competitive sport and physical education curricula, must be planned for and incorporated into all structures, strategies and programmes. These include community facilities, leisure and sporting venues; national, regional and local strategies and public awareness campaigns; physical activity and sports programmes in schools and in the community. Barriers that contribute to low levels of participation in physical activity and sport by people with disabilities in Ireland include the following: Only coordinated and concerted efforts will be successful in addressing this complex range of barriers.

From the empirical research for this study five main factors emerged as essential if quality experiences in physical exercise and sport are to be had by people with disabilities. These are stronger leadership; improved and inclusive community facilities including playgrounds; the provision of adequate PE and physical activity experiences in the school and in the community; adequate and accessible information services; and comprehensive education, training and coaching programmes that provide PE teachers, coaches, trainers and managers with the required inclusive PE, sport and physical activity training and expertise.

While there have been welcome developments in the area of sport and active leisure in Ireland including an increase in funding for sport and active leisure, the importance of leadership to spearhead the construction of appropriate structures and processes cannot be overstated. Participants in this study, including people involved in sports and physical exercise provision, people with disabilities and parents of children with disabilities, considered the issue of leadership to be a crucial one. It is perceived that Government Departments, the Irish Sports Council, governing bodies of sports and other relevant organisations could be more strategic in promoting co-ordination, access and equity and improving physical activity experiences for all.

In these initiatives, while each group retains its identity, united they have a more powerful voice to lobby for funding and support.

Soul Power by the youngest paraplegic tennis player in the world

The success following on the changes spearheaded by these new organisations and structures is impressive. The development of more organised approaches to sport and physical activity equity has led to improvements, in some cases, dramatic, in terms of participation, quality experiences and achievement.

The increase in participation together with success at the level of competitive swimming in Wales for people with disabilities after the implementation of a community and competitive swimming programme is a striking example.

While the approaches are diverse in different countries, all involve stronger leadership and improved co-ordination at a national level. In Wales development of structures has been through local authorities that have taken ownership of ensuring sports equity. The DSU provides practical assistance and a national network of disability education and support personnel who work with National Sports Organisations and other sports providers.

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Adequate leadership at a national level leads to a cultivation of the culture and required conditions that supports equality of opportunity in the field of physical activity, active leisure and sport. This has facilitated the development of effective partnerships and mobilised the necessary resources. In Ireland there is a need for a united front among organisations and service providers in order to achieve quality experiences and sports equity for all. More co-operation between the various sectors and groups involved in the development and delivery of sport and physical exercise opportunities should be a prominent goal.

How to ensure physical literacy was another key issue flagged by people with disabilities, parents, and teachers and by professionals involved in the provision of physical activity and sports programmes. Physical literacy is defined as developing the fundamentals of movement through appropriate opportunities and environments for learning and attainment Bickerton, citing Stafford, Understanding that physical literacy is taught, rather than just developing naturally, is central to understanding that sporting ability is controllable rather than pre-determined Bickerton, See Appendix 3 for an exploration of the concept of physical literacy.

The PE curricula should continue to be modified and the impact and outcome of modifications monitored until PE is of sufficient quality and quantity to ensure that everyone acquires physical literacy. The education and training of professionals involved is an important related issue. Once people are educated and trained appropriately, inclusive PE is more likely to happen because the professionals will have acquired the skills to organise, modify and adapt curricula appropriately to meet individual need.

The opinion was voiced by both parents and teachers that the ongoing in-service training in the primary schools as part of the implementation of the new primary school PE curricula is unlikely in itself to address all the gaps in current PE provision. Until the personnel delivering PE are adequately trained and professionally prepared at both undergraduate and postgraduate level to provide inclusive PE, programmes in schools that will ensure the physical literacy of children and young adults cannot become a reality. More effective use of the comprehensive National Council for Curriculum and Assessment NCCA Draft Guidelines for teachers of students with learning difficulties would be beneficial.

This might be done through the provision of training for teachers on the guidelines. This could be carried out in a number of ways including e. Guidelines for teachers of students with physical and sensory disabilities would also be useful. Increasing knowledge about the range of factors that affect people with disabilities participating in physical activity and sport can be used to develop inclusive physical activity and sports programmes.

A multi-agency approach is required.

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Interventions that promote and facilitate physical activity and sport by tackling the whole range of factors involved necessitates multi-agency involvement including the Departments of Education and Science; Arts, Sport and Tourism; Health and Children; Transport and the Environment together with other relevant departments and public and private agencies.

Simply ensuring that adults and children with disabilities can attend the same facilities as non-disabled people is not sufficient in itself to guarantee inclusion. Staff knowledge, attitudes and training for example are very important, as is the requisite assistance throughout the activities. In summary, the importance of sport and physical activity must be underlined by strategic action at national, regional and local level.

Social commitment and an appreciation of the benefits to society of diversity is promoted and fuelled by clear national policy and frameworks and co-ordinated strategic planning. Clear leadership at a national level makes widespread social commitment to equity for everyone more likely. Long-term plans on how to provide adequate school and community facilities and programmes as well as comprehensive PE and sport education and training are crucial.

Positive experiences and the acquisition of physical literacy at the early learning stages facilitate positive self-concept with regards physical activity and makes life long interest and participation in physical activity and sport more likely. The report makes recommendations around a improving leadership; b developing frameworks and strategies; c providing information services, d developing comprehensive education, training and coaching programmes for teachers and coaches and e providing improved and inclusive community facilities including playgrounds.

This preliminary research was undertaken with the purpose of informing a wide audience on current provision of sport and physical activity opportunities for people with disabilities and on how participation in quality experiences might be increased. There are people with disabilities who have had little or no experience of physical activity or exercise. They need, first of all, to develop their motor skills through adapted physical activity programmes and through physiotherapy where indicated. Other people with disabilities do not have the opportunity to participate in active leisure pursuits and sports that suit and appeal to them.

They have had little or no opportunity to engage in physical exercise and sport with others and enjoy their social aspects. In school and in college the experience of children and young adults with disabilities are not always quality ones. Everyone with a disability, including athletes with a disability, need to be adequately catered for and their potential recognised, respected and nurtured.

Central to conducting research in the field of physical activity and sport is a clarification of important words and terms. The European Sport's Charter Council of Europe, defines sport as all forms of physical activity, which through casual or organised participation, aim at expressing or improving physical fitness and mental well being, forming social relationships or obtaining results in competition at all levels. Exercise is defined as purposeful physical activity, which is often structured, and pursued for health and fitness benefits.

Physical activity is defined as all forms of bodily movement which use energy including such tasks as housework and gardening Council of Europe, In this report sport and physical exercise are used inter-changeably. The enormous benefits of physical exercise have been recognised but they need to be more widely experienced. The pleasure and enjoyment that comes from physical exercise and sport can be sufficient reasons in themselves for participation. However, taking a more functional view, a whole range of benefits and reasons for participation can be enumerated and these are addressed in the report.

A Department of Education document, The Economic Impact of Sport in Ireland , cites frequently suggested reasons for participation in sport: Chawla summarises some of the benefits of physical activity for people with disabilities: Its value in promoting health, physical strength, endurance, social integration, and psychological wellbeing is of little doubt. It is not difficult to understand why sport is so important for the wellbeing of people with disability. It improves physiological and mental functioning and gives rise to feelings of physical, psychological and social competence.

It is hugely enjoyable and can increase a person's resistance to stress. Through physical exercise and sport people can learn values and habits such as perseverance, constancy and competitiveness, fair play and sportsmanship. Sport can play a role in facilitating social participation, friendship and inclusion. It can be important in generating goodwill within and between diverse groups, places and countries. It is thought that physical exercise and sport can be used to contribute to a range of societal goals such as increasing community regeneration and social capital and reducing truancy and youth crime.

Positive effects of physical activity in persons with learning and physical and sensory disability that have been demonstrated include improvements in general health, physical fitness, bone metabolism and increased functional independence. There is also increased mobility and a reduction in chronic disease and secondary complications.

Physical activity also has a mitigating effect on challenging behaviour Moon et al, ; Nishiyama et al, ; Lancioni et al, and ; Washburn et al, ; Nary et al, cited by Boland, Physical exercise is important in maintaining fitness for daily living, reducing functional limitations, facilitating independent living and preventing, delaying and reducing chronic illnesses and secondary conditions Fentem , Physical activity is part of the antidote to the global burden of obesity and to chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

As the economic and social impact of a sedentary lifestyle and obesity becomes more apparent, efforts are being made around the globe to increase participation in physical exercise and sport. It is important that these initiatives become catch-up ones for people with disabilities rather than a time when the gap widens between them and their non-disabled peers in terms of participation in physical exercise and sport.

From an economic viewpoint the sport and leisure industry is increasing in importance in Ireland. In the sports strategy of the Department of Education , Targeting Sporting Change in Ireland , participation in sport is identified as contributing to the physical and mental wellbeing of the nation. It is also identified as being capable of playing a significant role in tackling social and economic disadvantage.

Sport and Active Recreation in Wales sets out an ambitious strategy for increasing participation in physical activity that should, simultaneously, improve the economy, improve health and wellbeing, increase social capital and make a mark internationally in terms of excellence in sport. The Department states, "increasing access for disabled and socially disadvantaged people are of particular importance to our areas of responsibility". The Department, in co-operation with District Councils, is developing a strategy for improving health and well being through participation in culture and leisure activities.

The aim is to increase health related physical activity by increasing opportunities for participation in sport, especially by young people, women and people with disabilities http: The report has an executive summary and a number of appendices. The body of the report is divided into five chapters: The report will be of particular interest to people with disabilities.

It will also be of interest to individuals and organisations who are involved in the organisation and provision of sport and physical activity and physical education, training and coaching. In third level institutions, educators and lecturers, in the fields of education, leisure and sport management, physical education and the health sciences, may be particularly interested. The aim of the research is to make recommendations as to how participation in quality physical exercise and sport can be made a reality for people with disabilities.

The following elements have been examined:. The research consisted of the following elements: The interviews, desk research and focus groups were conducted seeking discussion around a number of topics and questions see Appendix 1. An overview of the methodology is provided below in diagram form. An internet search was carried out using the search engines Google Scholar and Ask Jeeves. Individual interviews were conducted by phone and face to face. For the focus groups an explanatory letter and consent form see appendix 2 were distributed and informed consent was obtained from those who volunteered to participate.

Interviews were held with individuals from educational institutions, National Governing Bodies of Sport NGBs and agencies involved in leisure and sport provision and regulation.

Dennis Van Der Meer’s Dream Changed the World of Wheelchair Tennis

In the focus groups and individual interviews efforts were made to include people with disabilities from diverse backgrounds and circumstances, different parts of the country and with varying experiences and levels of participation in physical exercise. Participants were adults including parents of children with disabilities age range 20 to 75 years.

Both men and women were involved. They had a range of physical, sensory and intellectual disabilities and mental health difficulties. People with both acquired disability and disability from birth participated in the study. Parents of children with disabilities, adults with disabilities living at home, adults living in residential settings together with "elite" athletes took part in the study.

Webster's Online Dictionary defines elite as "the best of a class. In one focus group with parents their children were also present and although direct questions were put to the children they did not participate in the dialogue of the focus group. For some of the middle aged and older adults participating in adapted physical activity programmes, it was the first time they had engaged in regular physical exercise. With these participants, and again with the participants of another focus group of parents whose children had recently had the opportunity to participate in adapted physical activity programmes, they were able to contrast prior and current experiences of physical exercise.

Ten top Irish athletes with disabilities were individually interviewed. Individuals and focus groups were established through contact with organisations providing services to people with disabilities. Individuals were also accessed through professionals, with and without disabilities, working in the area of sport, leisure and education. Written explanations of the study were circulated and written consent was obtained from respondents see appendix 2. The focus groups and interviews were taped and transcribed or notes were taken at the time. Later, the opinions, suggestions and experiences collated were grouped under themes.

After analysing the results of interviews and focus groups and completing the literature review, a draft report was written. This was circulated to lecturers in the field of sport and leisure management, individuals working in sport disability organisations, physiotherapists working in the field of inclusive physical activity, the sport development officer for people with a disability in Dublin City University DCU , a primary school teacher carrying out in-service training for the Dept of Education and Science on the new primary school curriculum and who has a background in teaching children with disabilities , people with disabilities and the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism who forwarded it to the Irish Sports Council for comments.

Fourteen reviews of the draft report were received. The suggestions, comments and recommendations made were studied and the report was amended accordingly. The benefits of physical activity have been recognised for centuries. Fuller in cited by O' Doherty, stated: However, it is important to reiterate the incalculable benefits of physical activity, even moderate activity several days of the week whether through sport or, e. Everyone should know in theory, and ideally also in practice, that physical exercise influences long-term health status and also general well-being, personal and social development, effectiveness and achievement.

The psychological benefits include improved mood, confidence and self-esteem, a reduction of anxiety and depression and an increase in a person's ability to cope with a range of stressors. There are, needless to say, other crucial factors that contribute to improved mood, confidence and self-esteem such as suitable and satisfying employment, friendships and relationships. Even though many people are aware that physical exercise enhances a person's functioning, is an important component of optimal health and is associated with health gains Pate et al, ; Fentem, ; Royal College of Physicians, , Department of Health, UK, it is important that people become more aware of and more knowledgeable about the specific effects of both physical activity and inactivity.

Physical inactivity or disuse of the body carries a health risk of the same order as cigarette smoking, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. It leads to premature ageing, chronic disease and numerous impairments e. Regular physical activity prevents a range of illnesses and reduces the effects of age and the incidence of chronic illness and disease such as coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes mellitus and colon cancer Powell et al, cited by de Ploeg et al, Muscle and bone pain, shortness of breath, pain, including back pain, fatigue, depression, difficulty with sleeping and weakness can often be improved by physical activity.

It points out that much of the health gain from activity is obtained through at least 30 minutes of cumulative moderate physical activity every day. This is true for everyone and for all age groups Fentem, Physical fitness is particularly important in the face of periods of immobilisation, hospitalisation or serious health problems. It contributes to the maintenance of functioning and prevents the development of new functional limitations Fentem, Being overweight, particularly in people with mobility impairments can affect their functional ability and independence and increase the likelihood that they develop associated complications such as pressure sores.

Thus physical activity can be important in maintaining health and, simultaneously, making financial savings. However, it is generally accepted that moderate physical activity e. They have adopted the following recommendation as an international standard guideline: In terms of measurable physical health the target is to take enough regular exercise to improve or maintain stamina, to strengthen muscles, and to improve or maintain the range of joint movement.

There are also many, including government departments, who emphasise active living as a concept that stresses moderate activities for all such as walking on a daily basis. This concept highlights physical activity as an enjoyable and natural part of everyday life rather than as working out or doing sport for the sake of fitness.

The concept of active living supports the priorities of a healthy community such as equity, diversity, personal choice and the appreciation and protection of the natural environment Green and Gold Inc, Larger health status differences among people with disabilities have been noted between exercisers and non-exercisers compared to their non-disabled counterparts. The health status differences between people with and without disabilities have been shown to be smaller for people who exercise www. The suggested relationship between physical activity and health status among people with disabilities should be further tested and explored.

Some people with disabilities can be less active due to their functional limitations. Expectations of inactivity on their own part and that of others may compound their inactivity. Attitudinal, social and physical access barriers as well as the prevailing trend to live a sedentary lifestyle may also increase the likelihood of physical inactivity. Inactivity can exacerbate conditions that people with disabilities have and can precipitate secondary conditions to which they are prone e.

Inactivity can also lead to an increase in dependence on others, a decrease in social interactions and the development of symptoms such as fatigue, depression, low functional capacity, obesity and pressure sores. Physically active wheelchair users have a lower rate of absence from work and fewer hospital admissions than inactive colleagues. Wheelchair athletes have fewer pressure sores and kidney complications than sedentary wheelchair users.

Joint contractures can be prevented in children who walk rather than use a wheelchair.

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Exercise in the upright position reduces calcium loss after a spinal cord injury and exercise that improves muscle strength brings confidence in negotiating steps and other barriers. Both motor skills and the speed at which manual work is performed improve in people with intellectual impairment who exercise Fentem, The positive effects of physical activity in persons with learning and physical and sensory disability include improvements in general health, physical fitness, bone metabolism and increased functional independence.

Physical exercise is important in maintaining fitness for daily living, reducing functional limitations, facilitating independent living and preventing, delaying and reducing chronic illnesses and secondary conditions Fentem, It helps to develop strength, coordination, and endurance. Some sports develop selected groups of muscles - for example, weight lifting and archery help to strengthen the arm muscles of paraplegic patients, enabling them to gain independence in self care activities. Wheelchair sports such as basketball helps develop co-ordination as the disabled person has to propel the wheelchair and learn to pass, catch, and intercept the ball.

Swimming is generally accepted as a valuable form of exercise and treatment. Over recent years it has become the most popular sport. When someone is immersed in water, mouth and nose above the surface while breathing, the buoyancy of the water allows limbs to move freely within that person's abilities" Chawla, , p. A wide variety of sports can be enjoyed by people with disabilities and can be of benefit.

For example, horse riding can be beneficial to people with disabilities including people with learning difficulties, whose confidence, coordination, and communication skills can be improved Peacock, Some people with intellectual disability, notably persons with Down's Syndrome, have low Vitamin D levels and are at risk of bone disease with an increased prevalence of osteoporosis Centre et al, , Wagemens et al, cited by Boland, Thus, physical activity may yield particular benefits for them by decreasing the risk of osteoporosis. Participation in sport has a number of social benefits.

People establish friendships and social networks from which collective identities can be forged. Participation facilitates social integration, can bridge cultural difficulties and pave the way to employment. Participation in sport with diverse others can overcome prejudice and discrimination on the grounds of ethnicity, social background or disability, for example and can play a role in achieving an inclusive society.

Through sport people usually [1] learn the tenets of fair play, teamwork and solidarity and can become more aware of the problems that exist for people with disabilities www. At the same event, Adolf Ogi, the UN Secretary-General's Special Adviser on Sport for Peace and Development said that we need this international year "to spread the message that sport offers values to the younger generation" http: These words echo those of Viviane Redding, member of the Commission with responsibility for Education and Culture, who has stated "Sport can help to improve education and pave the way for integration.

Accordingly, it can and must be made an integral part of the process of building up European citizenship Persons with learning difficulties appear to gain significant mental, social, spiritual and physical benefits from sport and leisure activities Chawla, Weiss et al reviewed studies that demonstrated the importance of social participation for the self-concept self-esteem, self-regard, self-worth of persons with intellectual disabilities. Weiss et al citing Sherrill define self-concept "as the perception and evaluation of the self, and includes the beliefs, feelings, and intentions that a person holds in regard to self".

Edgerton et al and Landesman-Dwyer et al showed that individuals with developmental disabilities attribute greater life satisfaction to the presence of family and friends and active social lives than persons without a disability. Thus, while social participation and friendship are important in the lives of everyone they may have particular significance for the self-concept of individuals with intellectual disabilities.

A thought-provoking study by Fujiura et al on the relationship of excess weight to diet and activity in persons with Down's syndrome found that diet and activity were not predictors of Body Mass Index BMI as in the general population. While dietary indices K-calories, cholesterol, saturated fat were relatively unimportant in predicting BMI, interestingly, the pattern of friendship and access to recreation and social opportunities co-varied with BMI. These results suggest that the factors influencing BMI are much more complex than one might expect, in this population at least, and illustrates well how crucial the whole context of a person's life is for health status, well being and quality of life.

While Fujuira et al consider that the results do not imply that friendships and social interaction are the panaceas for good health they do indicate that "simple proscriptive recommendations, such as "eat less saturated fat" and "exercise more" may represent quite incomplete portraits of effective health promotion strategies". The social and friendship benefits of exercise and sport may be particularly important in this population. Zetlin and Turner found that the perceived abilities of persons with an intellectual disability to conform socially, to participate in activities, and to have competent interpersonal skills seemed to matter most in how persons' with an intellectual disability evaluated themselves.

Schalock et al investigated the quality of life of adults with developmental disabilities living in the community. They found that, along with the importance of perceived functional skills and autonomy, persons with a developmental disability reported a consistent desire for more friends. Weiss et al examined the impact of participating in the Special Olympics SO on the self-concept of people with developmental disabilities.

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They examined the relationships between various SO components - the number of years in the organization and the number of competitions, sports, hours per week training, and medals and ribbons obtained - and participants' self-concepts as well as parental views of participants' self-concepts, and participants' actual competency. They highlight how their study utilizes the most representative sample of Special Olympics participants in research to date, randomly selecting from local chapters across Ontario.

They consider that their research offers empirical data to support and encourage the development of theoretical models of how particular physical activity programs can effect psychological and behavioural change beyond improving physical fitness. Weiss et all point out that they are the first to report on the components within the programme instrumental in improvement of self-concept.

Other studies have supported the hypothesis that involvement in Special Olympics promoted positive self-concept and competence in participants using quasi-experimental pre-post designs and by correlating the length of enrolment in the organization with variables of interest. While the length of time in Special Olympics, the number of medals won, and the number of competitions were related to the participants' sense of general self-worth, only the number of competitions emerged as a significant predictor of self-concept.

The more athletes participate in competition, from local to international level events, the more positive their sense of general self-worth. Factors other than competition appear to be important determinants when examining perceptions of other factors such as physical competence and social acceptance.

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Different aspects of an athlete's experience in Special Olympics are linked to different facets of self-concept. Participants' perception of their physical competence was positively associated with the number of years, sports, competitions, and hours per week. Klein et al , cited by Weiss et al , surveyed the attitudes held towards the Special Olympics SO by both parents of Special Olympians, and by experts in the field of developmental disabilities.

Most of the experts surveyed felt that the SO was a beneficial program, enhancing the self-esteem, confidence, independence, and socialization of participants, and promoting community understanding of people with disabilities. Parents strongly agreed that the SO was beneficial for social adjustment and life satisfaction and they also considered that it enhanced levels of family support, involvement, cohesiveness, and understanding.

Eight years ago, in the Strategy of the Dept of Education, Targeting Sporting Change in Ireland , the economic benefits of sport in Ireland were outlined. The combined expenditure on sport in Ireland in was reported as Sport related activity generated in excess of 11, full and part-time joys representing more than 8, full time equivalent jobs. The inclusion of sport spending on media, travel and tourism raised this figure to 18, full time equivalent jobs. The value of voluntary sports work was quantified conservatively at 6.

It highlights the levels and patterns of investment in sport with three people volunteering in sport for every four who play regularly and many more taking part in social activities connected with sport. It was at full speed, only 8 years old, that he had a tragic accident.

Suddenly the world stopped, for him, for his parents, for his friends… and it restarted extremely slowly. But what did he do as soon as he got out of the hospital? He went back to the track where he had the accident, he asked a thousand questions; he looked, watched, processed… and turned the page. The values of sport are what motivates and inspires you: Hugo went back to riding, he had another opportunity and he had worked hard prepare himself.

The most incredible thing was his response: Hugo focused his energies on a new sport. Tennis gave him another opportunity. His competitive spirit and willingness to learn meant that he quickly stood out as a player. But now, he has to concentrate on the present.