Disabled Sports USA

History

Disabled Sports USA was established in 1967 by disabled military veterans to help rehabilitate the war injured returning from Vietnam and originally named the National Amputee Skiers Association. Today, as a member of the United States Olympic Committee, Disabled Sports USA offers programs year-round in more than 40 summer and winter sports through its nationwide network of more than 100 community-based chapters. Disabled Sports USA has won numerous awards, including the US Paralympics "Amazing Salute Award."

Vision and mission

The vision of Disabled Sports USA is that every person, regardless of ability, has an equal opportunity to participate in sports and recreation in their community. The mission of Disabled Sports USA is to provide national leadership and opportunities for individuals with physical disabilities to develop independence, confidence, and fitness through participation in community sports, recreation and educational programs.

Activities

Disabled Sports USA offer numerous nationwide programs for individuals with physical disabilities, including:

The Hartford Ski Spectacular

Operating annually since 1987, the event is one of the nation’s largest winter sports events for people with a disability with more than 700 participants ranging in ability from first-time skiers to members of the US Paralympic Alpine Skiing National Team coming together. Participants of all ages participate in snow sports made accessible by adaptive equipment, and certified professionals and volunteers. Programs offered at The Hartford Ski Spectacular help strengthen and expand adaptive ski programs in communities throughout the U.S.; identify and train youth, wounded warriors, and others with disabilities including those who strive to be winter Paralympians; and help local DSUSA chapters improve their services. A week of ski race training, sponsored by US Paralympics, prepares athletes for the Paralympic Games. The ski instructor academy endorsed by Professional Ski Instructors of America-American Association of Snowboard Instructors offers training for instructors in the latest and safest adaptive ski techniques for skiers with disabilities.

NorAm Races

Disabled Sports USA hosts NorAm level races sanctioned by the United States Ski and Snowboard Association and the International Ski Federation for advanced level adaptive skiers who have competition licenses.

Warfighter Sports

Warfighter Sports offers sports rehabilitation programs in military hospitals, including Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Brooke Army Medical Center and Naval Medical Center San Diego, and communities across the U.S. through a nationwide network of over 100 community-based chapters. The Warfighter Sports program rebuilds lives through sports by improving self-confidence, promoting independence and uniting families through shared healthy activities. Warfighter Sports offers more than 30 winter and summer sports at more than 100 events each year, for wounded members of the United States Armed Forces with amputations, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, visual impairments, and significant nerve and muscle damage. In 2013, over 1,500 severely wounded warriors were provided adaptive sports opportunities.

SkiTour

SkiTour is a calendar of winter sports events that lists national and local learning; racing and competitive opportunities across the U.S. The calendar includes the Diana Golden Race Series, an entry level series of racing on the East Coast of the U.S. Also available for instructors, is a listing of PSIA education and certification opportunities in adaptive skiing and snowboarding for all PSIA divisions. SkiTour provides a centralized resource for participants, competitors, parents, and instructors. With more than 30 events featured participants are able to plan out their racing schedule and those who are new to the sport can find a teaching program nearest to them.

SummerFest

The Disabled Sports USA SummerFest Tour is a nationwide series of events and programs offered through Disabled Sports USA, its chapters and partnering organizations from the spring through the fall months. It is the only event of its kind, providing youth and adults with disabilities across the country with state-of-the-art instruction, adaptive equipment and opportunities to compete in a variety of athletic events. In addition to providing grants to local chapter programs for the purchase of adaptive sports equipment and making local programs more accessible to community programs on an ongoing basis, Disabled Sports USA also works with national sports bodies to provide training for recreation instructors that want to provide quality events for clients with disabilities. These regional events provide instruction in a broad range of summer sports including kayaking, water skiing, sailing, canoeing, cycling, golf, equestrian, rock climbing, SCUBA, fishing and many more.

Challenge Magazine

Challenge Magazine, published three times each year for over 10 years, provides over 25,000 subscribers the latest news and articles on sports for people with disabilities.

Diana Golden Opportunities Fund

The Diana Golden Opportunities Fund is an endowment that supports and encourages junior athletes with disabilities in their pursuit of excellence in skiing by providing scholarships for purchasing equipment or participating in an adaptive race or development camp. The fund is named after Diana Golden, one of the greatest disabled athletes of all time.

Harris Poll validates effectiveness of adaptive sports

In 2009, Disabled Sports USA commissioned Harris Interactive to conduct research among American adults with physical disabilities in order to explore the attitudes and behaviors of people with disabilities towards sports and recreation. Specifically, the new research determine that being engaged in sports activities has helped make a difference in terms of increased health, happiness and employment. The major finding of the poll of 1,000 people with disabilities was that "people with disabilities who indicate that they are physically active are more likely to be employed, to believe that being physically active has helped them advance in their jobs, and to lead to a healthier lifestyle. Those physically active report a greater life satisfaction and are more sociable and positive about their life prospects."

Adaptive sports offered

Disabled Sports USA offers adaptive sports opportunities in over 50 sports including; Alpine Skiing, Archery, Baseball, Basketball, Biathlon, Boccie, Bowling, Canoeing, Cheerleading, Climbing, Curling, Cycling, Dance, Equestrian, Fishing, Football, Golf, Gymnastics, Hiking, Hunting, Ice Skating, Kayaking, Martial Arts, Nordic Skiing, Rafting, Rowing, Rugby, Running, Sailing, Scuba, Sled Hockey, Snowboarding, Snowshoeing, Soccer, Softball, Surfing, Swimming, Tennis, Track & Field, Triathlon, Wakeboarding, Waterskiing, Windsurfing, and Yoga

Organizational leadership

For over 30 years, Disabled Sports USA has been led by Kirk Bauer, JD. Bauer lost his leg in 1969 during combat in the Mekong Delta in the Vietnam War. For his military service, Bauer was awarded the Bronze Star twice and a Purple Heart. Bauer was appointed by the White House as a council member of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition and appointed as a United States representative of the 2008 Summer Paralympics in China. In 2013, Bauer was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition. In 2008, Bauer was awarded the George M. Steinbrenner III Sport Leadership Award from the United States Olympic Foundation. In 1999, Bauer was honored with the Gene Autry Courage Award. and the NCOA National Defense Foundation "American Patriot Award." For 12 years, Bauer was a member of the United States Disabled Ski Team and in 2000 won the mobility impaired division of the Bostom Marathon.

Disabled Sports USA is governed by its Board of Directors, which consists of corporate and nonprofit leaders as well as athlete representatives who share a commitment to providing sports opportunities for people with disabilities. Disabled Sports USA Officers include Robert Meserve, Steven D. Goodwin and Todd Sajauskas, and Board Members William “Will” B. Reynolds III, Ralph Green, John “Jack” Daly, Bill Gates, Lee Hicks, John Urias and Katrina Shaklee.

Awards

Disabled Sports USA administers three national awards for individuals or organizations who have made significant achievements in disabled sports.

National Disabled Ski Hall of Fame Award

The Disabled Hall of Fame Award recognizes outstanding individuals who have made significant contributions to disabled skiing in two categories: Recreational/Developmental and Competition. The award in the Recreational/Development category recognizes an individual who has a minimum of five-years of experience in the disabled skiing field and has made a significant contribution to the field, including innovative techniques, specialized equipment, program development, education or public relations. The award in the Competition category recognizes an individual (participant or coach), who has been active in disabled ski racing for a minimum of three years. Race results, team participation, innovative coaching techniques, and event promotions are considered for this category. Competitive racers and coaches must be retired from active racing or coaching for a minimum of three years prior to nomination.

Jim Winthers Volunteer Award

The Jim Winthers Volunteer Award recognizes life-time contributions and significant achievements in furthering the mission of Disabled Sports USA. Nominees for this award must have contributed a minimum of 10 years of service to Disabled Sports USA or one of its chapters. The Jim Winthers Volunteer Award is named in honor of Jim Winthers, a WWII veteran who was a member of the U.S. 10th Mountain Division- the Skiing 10th — an elite group specifically trained for alpine warfare. He eventually became a pioneer in teaching adaptive skiing, beginning with two friends who became amputees in the war; he taught them to ski on one leg using techniques he was in Europe. Jim Winthers, with the support of other veterans, founded Disabled Sports USA in 1967.

The Dr. Robert Harney Leadership Award

The Dr. Robert Harney Leadership Award is an annual award to honor a company, organization or an individual that has demonstrated and provided extraordinary leadership in the Disabled Sports/Adaptive Sports Movement. “Dr. Bob” was an adaptive sports pioneer and tireless leader in Paralympic sports at the local, national and international levels. He was an innovator in the national and international medial classification of athletes with disabilities. As a volunteer, Harney was on the International Paralympic Medical Classification team in the sports of alpine skiing and cycling and attended every winter and summer games since 1998. Dr. Bob was also a Professional Ski Instructor and a full-time practicing orthopedic surgeon in Boston, and a dedicated team physician at Winthrop and Melrose High School in his hometown of Winthrop, MA for more than 20 years.

Video