Chapter 3 Adapted Sport 3 Adapted Sport Michael J. Paciorek C H A P T E R

Jean-Michel Cousteau Freedom in Depth HSA International, 1984 “ Having a physical disability is not the same as being disabled. Failing to make that distinction, we leave out the most important ingredient in human achievement, the desire in each of us to strive for the best we can be. Everyone lives in an age of opportunities and technological advances, and yet our most marvelous and moving experiences are still those victories of will and spirit against seemingly insurmountable odds.”

Considering rights Under the blind person’s rights act you can bring a guide dog into a restaurant and you cannot be denied service. The dog is not considered a pet. A Lady comes into a restaurant with her guide dog and sits at a table. The man next to her calls over the waiter and advises that he has a deadly allergic allergy to dogs. He asks the owner to request the dog be reomoved. The lady refuses to leave or take her dog out of the restaurant. Police are called as the man that complains waits outside. Lady with the dog registers a complaint and starts a law suit. Does she have a valid complaint.

Barriers to Participation in Sport for Individuals With Disabilities Tendency toward sedentary living Lack of knowledge of fitness concepts Program and facility accessibility Heredity factors Fear of failure Poor nutritional habits

Benefits of Sport for Individuals With Disabilities Health and fitness –Secondary conditions can be minimized. Psychological value –Often the road to fulfillment begins when people realize that activity can be maintained. (continued)

Benefits of Sport for Individuals With Disabilities (continued) Societal normalization –Public awareness of capabilities occurs through the medium of sport and integration of athletes with and without disabilities. Sport for sport’s sake –Participation for the sake of enjoyment.

Sport Integration Continuum –Special Olympics Unified Sports –Part time in regular sport or part time in adapted sport –Blind powerlifter (regular sport), goalball (adapted sport) (continued)

Community-Based U.S. Multisport Organizations BlazeSports National Disability Sports Alliance (BSNDSA) Dwarf Athletic Association of America (DAAA) Disabled Sports USA (DS/USA) Special Olympics, Inc. (SOI) (continued)

Community-Based U.S. Multisport Organizations (continued) United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) USA Deaf Sports Federation (USADSF) Wheelchair and Ambulatory Sports, USA (WASUSA)

International Adapted Sport Federations Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association (CPISRA) International Sports Federation for Persons with Intellectual Disability (INAS-FID) International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD or CISS) International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation (IWAS) Special Olympics, Inc. (SOI)

Selected Unisport Adapted Sport Organizations Achilles Track Club (ATC) American Amputee Soccer Association (AASA) Handicapped Scuba Association International (HSA International) North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA) United States Quad Rugby Association (USQRA) United States Sled Hockey Association (USSHA)

Sport Classification Systems The purpose of classification in sport is to allow for a fair and equitable starting point for competition. Issues in adapted sport classification include the following: –Ability should be the deciding factor in competition, not disability. –Each disability group has its own classification system. –Event-management issues arise, such as too many heats. –Public is confused. (continued)

Sport Classification Systems (continued) Medical –Verifies minimum disability. –Not concerned with the functional ability of the athlete. –Provides a medically related equal starting point for competition. Examples –Level of visual acuity for a blind athlete –Level of spinal cord injury –Location of an amputation (continued)

Functional –Identifies how an athlete performs specific sport skills. –Combines medical information with performance information. –Evaluates an athlete's sport-specific skills needed in an athletic event in addition to the medical condition. –Function is primary and medical is secondary. Example: Athletes with cerebral palsy observed by classifiers performing their sport to determine range of motion and physical capabilities prior to classification Sport Classification Systems (continued)

Class A1Double Above Knee (AK) Class A2Single Above Knee (AK) Class A3Double Below Knee (BK) Class A4Single Below Knee (BK) Class A5Double Above Elbow (AE) Class A6Single Above Elbow (AE) Class A7Double Below Elbow (BE) Class A8Single Below Elbow (BE) Class A9Combined upper and lower Sport Classification Systems: Amputees

Class B1: No light perception in either eye up to light perception and inability to recognize the shape of a hand at any distance or in any direction Class B2: From ability to recognize the shape of a hand up to visual acuity of 20/600 or a visual field of less than 5 degrees in the best eye with the best practical eye correction Class B3: From visual acuity above 20/600 and up to visual acuity of 20/200 or a visual field of less than 20 degrees and more than 5 degrees in the best eye with the best practical eye correction Class B4: From visual acuity above 20/200 and up to visual acuity of 20/70 and a visual field larger than 20 degrees in the best eye with the best practical eye correction Sport Classification Systems: Visual Impairments

Eight sport classes based on functional ability Classes 1-4: Wheelchair users Classes 5-8: Ambulatory (continued) Sport Classification Systems: Cerebral Palsy

Class 1: Power wheelchair users. Athletes experience movement difficulties that affect the entire body. Typically the athlete cannot propel a manual wheelchair and often has difficulty altering sitting position. Class 2 (upper/lower): Propels wheelchair unassisted on level surface (may use legs). Class 3: Propels wheelchair independently. Athletes are wheelchair users and have one affected upper limb. Typically the athlete has a limited range of shoulder movement and a marked difference in the function of the arms; can propel a manual wheelchair. (continued) Sport Classification Systems: Cerebral Palsy (continued)

Class 4: Highest wheelchair class— athletes are wheelchair users whose arms are not affected. Classes 5A and 5B: Uses assistive device (walker or crutch) to ambulate during competition. Class 6: Ambulates without aids (balance problems); athletes are ambulatory with all four limbs affected. (continued) Sport Classification Systems: Cerebral Palsy (continued)

Class 7: Marked asymmetrical action (hemiplegia). Achilles tendon shortened; athletes are ambulatory with the arm and leg on the same side affected. Class 8: Highest functioning level of CP. Athletes have minimal disability. Typically, the athlete will have good balance and only slight coordination problems; the disability is more obvious during exertion. Sport Classification Systems: Cerebral Palsy (continued)

Dwarf Athletic Association of America: Under the height of 5 ft (152.4 cm) because of medical condition referred to as dwarfism USA Deaf Sports Federation: 55 dB or greater hearing loss in the better ear Special Olympics –Age –Gender –Performance (determined by prescreening) Sport Classification Systems: Organizations

Players are classified according to their level of functional ability (i.e., what muscles they are able to use in performing basketball skills—shooting, passing, rebounding, pushing, and dribbling). Classifiers observe a player's functional ability while he or she performs the assigned skills and then assign the player a classification or point score based on their observations. The classification or point score is specific to basketball only. (continued) Sport Classification Systems: Wheelchair Basketball

Class I—Complete motor loss at T7 or above or comparable disability where there is total loss of muscle function originating at or above T7. Class II—Complete motor loss originating at T8 and descending through and including L2, where there may be motor power of hips and thighs. Also included in this class are amputees with bilateral hip disarticulation. Class III—All other physical disabilities as related to lower extremity paralysis or paresis originating at or below L3. All lower-extremity amputees are included in this class except those with bilateral hip disarticulation. (See class II.) (continued) Sport Classification Systems: Wheelchair Basketball (continued)

Team balance Each classification will be given a numerical value or factor as follows: –Class I = 1 value point. –Class II = 2 value points. –Class III = 3 value points. (continued) Sport Classification Systems: Wheelchair Basketball (continued)

Team balance Athletes with a low point value are more limited in their ability to perform the required basketball skills than are athletes with a higher point score. The point score system ensures that the five players on the court have a variety of point scores, ranging from low (more severely disabled) to high (minimal disability). At no time in a game shall a team have players participating with a total of value points greater than 12, nor more than three class III players playing together at the same time. (continued) Sport Classification Systems: Wheelchair Basketball (continued)

Because of the basketball classification system, it is possible for athletes with different disabilities (e.g., spinal paralyzed versus cerebral palsy) to be assigned the same point score or classification. This is because classifiers look at the athlete’s ability to perform the required skills rather than at his or her disability.

Cross-Disability Sport Classification Systems Designed to place athletes with different disabilities together for competition (e.g., cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, dwarfism). Criteria are developed based on each sport. Advantages include the following: –Makes meet management easier. –Public may be less confused. –Allows for competition in areas where few disabled athletes reside. Disadvantage: Might discriminate against certain disabilities by making disability a factor as opposed to ability.