The Maggs Physical Activites Center has been the scene of many sporting events over the years. Now, Salisbury University can add adaptive sports to that list. The adaptive sports program at SU was created by Dr. Dean Ravizza, a professor in the Department of Secondary and Physical Education, to increase student education and awareness around adaptive sports and provide opportunities for students with disabilities to compete in various adaptive sports activities alongside their non-disabled peers.
The primary goal of this program is to prepare future physical education teachers to work with students with physical disabilities in a competitive sports setting. By providing hands-on experience with adaptive sports, Dr. Ravizza aims to equip his students with the knowledge and skills necessary to create inclusive learning environments. Through a Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation grant, Dr. Ravizza was able to purchase sports wheelchairs, allowing students to learn the skills, strategies and fitness components required to participate in sports such as wheelchair basketball, lacrosse and tennis. With an increase in the number of students with low vision and blindness in the local schools, students also learn about blind sports such as goalball and blind soccer to better prepare them for working with this student population.
Additionally, the program has partnered with the SU Intramural Sports Office to create inclusive athletic opportunities for University students with physical disabilities. Integrating adaptive sports into intramural programs and organizing events like wheelchair basketball tournaments aims to create a more inclusive environment where students with and without disabilities can participate together in a competitive setting. Hundreds of students have participated in special adaptive sports nights, introducing them to various adaptive sports and competitive wheelchair basketball and sitting volleyball tournaments.
The final goal of the adaptive sports program is to empower local teachers to learn how to include adaptive sports in their curricula. By organizing workshops for local physical education and adapted physical education teachers and providing them with hands-on experience, the program enables educators to create inclusive physical education experiences with a focus on equitable learning practices for students with physical disabilities in their classrooms. By providing opportunities for students to learn about and participate in these sports, the University is fostering a more inclusive and accessible campus and community environment.
