Volume 12, Number 3, 2004
Each autumn for nearly a decade, Stanley Smith and his wife, Pat, rode a tandem bicycle 150 miles in two days as part of a special fund-raising event for the Delaware chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
The annual Bike-to-the-Bay, a round-trip trek from Smyrna to Lewes, Del., was an adventure to be relished, the Smiths recall. They say the ride itself was a piece of cake until the roads became too dangerous.
"We stopped in 1998 because traffic got so bad," Pat Smith says. "But, for about 10 years, we had a lot of fun."
Today, the Smiths have shifted their focus to indoor sports. The Wilmington, Del., couple were among 30 athletes with visual impairments who came to the UD campus this fall for a full day of fun, friendly competition and the chance to give future physical education teachers and athletic trainers some practical experience. The Mid-Atlantic Sports Day clinic featured archery, rock climbing, golf and a dozen other athletic activities at the University's Carpenter Sports Building. Both individual and team events were held.
It was the fourth year for the clinic, which drew athletes ranging in age from 8-64. They came from throughout Delaware and from Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey and Virginia to participate.
"The purpose of this clinic is to introduce people who are blind or visually impaired to as many recreational activities as possible," says Stephen Goodwin, associate professor of health, nutrition and exercise sciences in the College of Health and Nursing Sciences and co-chair of the event. "Often, not a lot of sports programs exist locally for visually impaired athletes, so we're hoping that by providing this clinic, participants will be able to take what they learn back to their schools and communities."
Goodwin, who recruited students from his Adapted Physical Education class to assist with the event, adds that the clinic also provides a good experience for coaches, teachers and community volunteers. About 40 volunteers attended, giving the athletes a high degree of individual instruction and guidance.
"One of the courses offered to physical education students is the Survey in Adapted Physical Education, so this clinic provides an opportunity for students to put into practice what they learned in class," Goodwin says.
"Most majors in [the CHNS Department of Health, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences] are required to take the Adapted Physical Education class," Keith Handling, associate professor in the department, says. "No matter what field they go into, they're going to encounter people with disabilities and they'll have to know how to assist them."
Exercise science students can choose adapted physical education as an area of emphasis, says Handling, who coordinates the program. Those who select that emphasis take additional courses, including a practicum in which they work with a specific population, such as children who are deaf or adults with cognitive delays.
A relatively small number of UD students choose that area of emphasis, but Handling notes that all prospective health and physical education teachers need to learn how to provide athletic opportunities to a variety of students. He says a knowledge of adapted physical education is especially important because many children with disabilities are integrated into regular classes in the public schools.
At Mid-Atlantic Sports Day, the CHNS students and other volunteers were key to the successful event, Heidi White says. President of the Pennsylvania Association for Blind Athletes (PABA), White organized the clinic with her husband, Sandy, and Goodwin.
"This event is based entirely on volunteer effort, so it's important that we get as much community support as we can," Heidi White says, adding that the clinic also relies on the professional instruction of coaches from Widener and West Chester universities and the Mortar Board Scholars Association.
"Most of the coaches are experts in their sport, which is necessary for the clinic to meet its goal," she says. "Volunteers from every level of experience make the day a success."
Another factor contributing to the clinic's popularity, White says, is its location in the state-of-the-art Carpenter Sports Building. "In addition to providing professional instruction and opportunities for athletic exploration, the clinic offers a convenient setting for athletes from throughout the East Coast region," she says.
The clinic was divided into five hour-long sessions, including archery, rock climbing, golf, swimming, wrestling, power lifting, tumbling, basketball, tandem cycling, soccer, track and field events and various sports designed specifically for athletes with visual impairments. Those modified events, which use audio feedback as a means to guide athletes, include beep baseball, goalball and audio darts.
"The best thing about the day is that there is no pressure," Stanley Smith says. "It's a learning process, not a competitive event. It's an opportunity to acquire knowledge and skill and the possibility of a lifelong pursuit."
The clinic was sponsored by the Delaware Association for Blind Athletes and PABA, with additional support from UD's athletics department. For more information on next year's clinic, or to learn about volunteer opportunities, call (800) 596-5146.
--Becca Hutchinson