Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF), a world leader in helping individuals with physical challenges pursue sports and physical fitness is set to continue and broaden its High School Adaptive Sports Program in March.
The program provides education, resources, coaching and an equipment loaner program so middle and high school-aged athletes with physical challenges can participate on their school track and field teams. Starting March 13, the training sessions will be offered in the Bay Area, San Diego, and expanding into Los Angeles on March 20. While the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates equal access to school sports, CAF is providing expertise through this program piloting in California and expanding now through remote participation in other states.
Partnering with California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) & US Paralympics, CAF is using its established network of mentors, coaches, adaptive sports clubs, and programming expertise to design a footprint with clear and measurable metrics for national expansion.
“Participating in track and field is an incredible opportunity for students to find connection with their school and our goal is to create inclusive high school teams with student-athletes of all abilities,” says CAF Co-Founder, Bob Babbitt. “Last year our virtual program hosted student-athletes from 30 states, solidifying the need for inclusive sports at all ages.”
The CAF Adaptive Track & Field Training Program offers disciplines including ambulatory sprints, ambulatory and seated throws (shot put) and wheelchair racing. Participants will have access to instructional videos, loaner equipment, online resources and grants. As more high schools embrace adaptive sports, CAF hopes to develop additional resources for more sports and is dedicated to changing the landscape of high school athletics.
Sponsors who made this high school adaptive sports program possible include the Kenneth Whalen Family Foundation and The Foundation for Global Sports Development, The Women’s Sports Foundation and The LA84 Foundation, which allowed CAF to expand the program in Los Angeles.
[Source(s): Challenged Athletes Foundation, GlobeNewswire]