Sports and People with Disabilities

Sports Programs for People with Disabilities

American Association of AdaptedSports Programs (AAASP)
To enhance the health, independence and future economic self-sufficiency of youths with physical disabilities by facilitating a national disabled sports movement, assisting in creating the best member programs possible for physically disabled youth electing to compete in team and individual sports on a local, regional and national level.

America's Athletes with Disabilities (AAD)
To promote and sponsor sports, recreation, fitness and leisure events for children and adults with physical disabilities.

Disabled Sports USA
Offers nationwide sports rehabilitation programs to anyone with a permanent physical disability.

Dwarf Athletic Association of America (DAAA)
To develop, promote and provide quality amateur level athletic opportunities for dwarf athletes in the United States.

National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD)
To encourage and support people with disabilities who wish to increase their overall level of activity and participate in some form of regular physical activity.

Paralympics
Elite sports events for athletes from six different disability groups; Cerebral Palsy (CP-ISRA), Spinal Cord Lesion, Spina Bifida, Polio (ISMWSF), Blindness (IBSA), Les Autres or Amputations (ISOD). The events emphasize the participants' athletic achievements rather than their disability.

Special Olympics
To provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for individuals with mental retardation by giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, other athletes and the community.

Sports Career Awareness and Placement (SportsCAP)
Designed to provide women, people of color, and people with disabilities with improved access to the sporting industry ranging from internships to high-level management, legal and medical positions.

US Association of Blind Athletes (USABA)
To change the attitudes about the abilities of the blind and visually impaired.

USA Deaf Sports Federation (USADSF)
To provide deaf and hard of hearing children and adults with opportunities to compete with their peers as well as the larger society of athletes worldwide.

United States Les Autres Sports Association (USLASA)
To serve disabled athletes with such physical impairments as multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, arthrogyposis, osetogensis imperfecta and over ten other lesser known disabilities that alone do not have significant numbers to mount adequate competition.

Wheelchair Sports, USA (WSUSA)
Organized geographically into the 15 regional associations and 13 sports affiliations, each responsible for developing local wheelchair sports programs and conducting qualifying meets leading to the National Wheelchair Games.

General Resources on Sports and People with Disabilities

"Casey Martin's Battle to Ride" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (January 14, 2001 Transcript)
Explores the rights of athletes with disabilities focusing on Casey Martin's use of a golf cart to be able to compete on the PGA tour.

The Disability Sport Research Initiative (DSRI)
Conducts research related to the management of international sport for people with disabilities.

DiscoveryHealth.com
- Sports for adults with disabilities
- Sports for children with disabilities

Feminist Majority Foundation - Women with Disabilities in Sport
Dedicated to women's equality, reproductive health, and non-violence; believes that feminists - both women and men, girls and boys - are the majority, but this majority must be empowered.

FindLaw - Disabilities and Sports
(1) Special Olympics (2) Resources for Athletes with Disabilities (3) Athletic Organizations.

"Invisible Foe" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (December 31, 2001 Transcript)
Discusses bipolar disorder in sports.

The National Consortium for Physical Education and Recreation for Individuals with Disabilities (NCPERID)
Advocates for the educational and recreational rights of children & youth with disabilities and promotes research, professional and preparation, service delivery, and advocacy of physical education and recreation for individuals with disabilities.

National Disability Sports Alliance (NDSA)
National governing body for competitive sports for individuals with cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injuries and survivors of stroke.

Paralympics
Elite sports events for athletes from six different disability groups; Cerebral Palsy (CP-ISRA), Spinal Cord Lesion, Spina Bifida, Polio (ISMWSF), Blindness (IBSA), Les Autres or Amputations (ISOD). The events emphasize the participants' athletic achievements rather than their disability.

Special Olympics
To provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for individuals with mental retardation by giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, other athletes and the community.

Sports Associations for People with Disabilities

American Association of AdaptedSports Programs (AAASP)
To enhance the health, independence and future economic self-sufficiency of youths with physical disabilities by facilitating a national disabled sports movement, assisting in creating the best member programs possible for physically disabled youth electing to compete in team and individual sports on a local, regional and national level.

Disabled Sports USA
Offers nationwide sports rehabilitation programs to anyone with a permanent physical disability.

Dwarf Athletic Association of America (DAAA)
To develop, promote and provide quality amateur level athletic opportunities for dwarf athletes in the United States.

National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD)
To encourage and support people with disabilities who wish to increase their overall level of activity and participate in some form of regular physical activity.

US Association of Blind Athletes (USABA)
To change the attitudes about the abilities of the blind and visually impaired.

USA Deaf Sports Federation (USADSF)
To provide deaf and hard of hearing children and adults with opportunities to compete with their peers as well as the larger society of athletes worldwide.

United States Les Autres Sports Association (USLASA)
To serve disabled athletes with such physical impairments as multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, arthrogyposis, osetogensis imperfecta and over ten other lesser known disabilities that alone do not have significant numbers to mount adequate competition.

Wheelchair Sports, USA (WSUSA)
Organized geographically into the 15 regional associations and 13 sports affiliations, each responsible for developing local wheelchair sports programs and conducting qualifying meets leading to the National Wheelchair Games.