By Janecze Wright
Fort Hood Public Affairs
FORT HOOD, Texas — The Fort Hood Child & Youth Services program held its annual Sports-a-thon event June 27 at the Bronco Youth Center.
The event featured adaptive sports — recreational or competitive sports adapted or modified to accommodate the needs of people with disabilities.
“We have some kids in the program that have special needs, and I want them to know they still can play sports, although they have a special need, we just do it in a different way,” said Vickie Jackson, CYS Youth sports and Fitness director.
More than 100 children and teens rotated through a variety of stations, featuring different sports activities such as basketball, volleyball and cycling with special modifications to simulate how a person with a disability may perform.
Some groups of youth competed in adaptive volleyball, which simulates what it’s like to play the game in a wheelchair or without the use of one’s legs, requiring each team to serve and volley the ball over a lowered net in a seated position.
Cheered on by CYS volunteers and their peers, some youth tried rowing to simulate adapted cycling, competing to row the farthest in a set amount of time.
Others delighted in using scooters to simulate adaptive basketball, and some even had the opportunity to try shooting hoops in wheelchairs used by the players from the University of Texas at Arlington Lady Movin’ Mavs female wheelchair basketball team.
The organization partners with CYS annually to attend the event and help increase awareness about adaptive sports.
“I think it’s very important to show younger generations,” said Zoe Voris, UT Arlington Lady Movin’ Mavs. “We work as hard, if not harder than any other athlete and it’s really important to make sure that people recognize that from a young age.
“Understanding the differences, or what makes adaptive sports really adaptive … it’s different, but it’s not a completely different thing; it’s just a different way of doing something that other people are doing,” she added.
Adaptive sports are popular worldwide and have their own dedicated competition during the Paralympic Games for athletes with physical, visual or intellectual impairments.
Guest speakers and adaptive athletes, Dr. Dorian Rhoten and Altermese Kendrick, have competed all over the world and spoke to the audience of children, ranging in age from 3-14 years old, about adaptive sports and how they differ from regular sports.
Kendrick explained adaptive means change, so adaptive athletes must change the way they play sports.
Rhoten stressed the importance of educating young people about adaptive sports and ensuring they know there are opportunities to compete despite a disability.
“You’re opening up minds, so kids see that’s a person trying, that’s an athlete,” he said. “You want them to be open minded, broad to all the ideas of difference, so they know it’s okay to be different.”
Both speakers shared adaptive sports allowed them to continue to compete after sustaining life altering injuries during military service.
“I didn’t have to give up (sports) because I was injured,” Rhoten said. “So, now we compete across the world.”
Kendrick added adaptive sports promote hope and inspire excellence.
“We’re here,” she said. “We’re representing team Army. We’re representing U.S.A, the best of the best.”
