Saturday, May 8, the finish line is in sight.  The hand cyclists, road racers, runners and walkers are nearing the end of their long road of training.  Of course, the race itself needs to be completed.  For those raising money and rolling or running for GRWSA, these are the last few days to round up those donations.  This has been the big media week for GRWSA.

On Monday, May 3, WOOD TV 8 and Jack Doles–the road warrior running for GRWSA–ran a story on the new GRWSA hand cycling team.  Some will be racing in the 25K on Saturday.  Here is the link to the story http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/sports/river_bank_run/Hand-cyclists-preparing-for-River-Bank

Also, on Monday, May 3, The Grand Rapids Press ran a story focusing on Anne Gallup–a GRWSA board member and one who signed up to run and raise money for GRWSA.  http://www.mlive.com/sports/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/05/admiration_for_wheelchair_athl.html.  Anne has been going gang busters to raise $2,500 for GRWSA.  To help her reach her goal and support GRWSA visit http://www.active.com/donate/grwsa/aagallup.

Two of our Junior hand cyclists–Tabitha and Tyler (no, they are not related)–have also gone gangbusters to raise funds for an organization they have gotten so much from over the years.  Between the two of them, they have raised $2,000!

Being a charity partner with the River Bank Run has been a great opportunity for GRWSA and adaptive sports.  We look forward to the next two years.

Runners (and rollers) take your marks, set….

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So  much good basketball these past few weeks.  I have never watched so much basketball.  It’s great when the underdog beats a higher ranked team.  College ball definitely has more heart in it than pro ball.  That’s one of the things that makes it great. 

Between me and my sister, she was the basketball player.  Even before my accident and using a wheelchair, basketball never interested me much.  And now, wheelchair basketball—no way!  Far too high contact for me.  Once or twice I have collided on the tennis court with my doubles partner, our chairs crashing into each other.   But wheelchair basketball is high energy, high contact and aggressive.  And that’s what the players love about it.  Thankfully GRWSA offers many different opportunities for wheelchair sports. 

Wheelchair basketball is widely recognized and is a wheelchair sport most people have heard of.   We have three wheelchair basketball teams here in GR supported by the Wheelchair Sports Assoc.  The Pacers,  The Jr. Pacers and a Prep team.  The second week of April the Pacers and Jr. Pacers will be heading to Denver, CO to play in the National Wheelchair Basketball Assoc. (NWBA) National Championships.  This tournament will conclude their season.  Our community and the wheelchair athletes who participate in a wide variety of sports are so fortunate to have an organization like GRSWA to provide such great opportunities. 

Are you running, walking or rolling in the River Bank Run?  Sign up and raise some money for GRWSA.  Go to www.grwsa.com to register and get the info in the pledge packet.  Go Pacers!    

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Time flies.  It’s been way too long since my last post.  The Olympics came to a close and the opening ceremony for the Paralmpics was aired on NBC on Saturday, March 13.  Good on ya NBC!

The sled hockey season is drawing to a close.  But this weekend (March 20 and 21) a sled hockey tournament is taking place, right here in town at the Griffins Icehouse at Belknap Park.  Both the junior and adult teams will be playing.  Games start at 11:ooam on Saturday and wrap up around 7:00pm.  Sunday games begin at 9:00am and finish around 1:00pm.  Sled Hockey has been played by juniors here in Grand Rapids for a few years.  Now that these juniors are growing up, we started an adult sled hockey team just this year.  for more info on the game and it’s history click here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sledge_hockey.  Come on out and check out the action. 

If you are thinking of running the River Bank Run–sign up to Run for GRWSA and help raise funds to support sports like sled hockey.  Check out www.grwsa.com for a pledge packet and more info about walking, running or rolling for GRWSA!

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Murderball movie poster

Sunday, the last day of February, will showcase one of the most anticipated events of this Olympics–US vs. Canada in ice hockey.  We beat ‘em just a few days ago, but this one is for the gold medal.  I don’t watch a lot of hockey games, but I’ll be watching this one.

However, on the ice is not the only place where we have a bit of rivalry with our friendly Northern neighbors.  In the world of wheelchair sports, the quad rugby court is where the action is.  In Canada it is called Murderball.  The rivalry between these two countries is so prominent that a documentary was made in 2005 called Murderball.   The main focus on the film is the US Quad Rugby Team preparing for the 2004 Olympic/Paralympic games in Athens. 

What I love about the movie is it is so real.  It captures perfectly what it is like to be with a group of guys in their 20’s as they prepare for a monumental athletic event in their lives.  Oh, and the guys just happen to use wheelchairs.  They talk about some challenges they face because of their disabilities and the assumptions people make simply because they use a wheelchair.    When seeing the movie in the theatre, I was the only wheelchair user in the audience.  In certain parts, I was the only one laughing, only because I could relate so well.  It is a good trailer Murderball Trailer, but everyone should see the movie.  It   does have some rather strong language.  But that’s what you get from a bunch of guys in their 20’s. 

The game in action

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It’s been a lot of late nights this week.  And will be next week too.  I love the Olympics.   Whether winter or summer.  Watching these winter Olympics makes me miss the winter sports I once did–ice skating and downhill skiing.   I have tried adaptive skiing and it’s a blast.  It’s been a few years since I’ve done it, but not much beats that thrill of racing down a hill at top speed.

After all the fanfare of the Olympics fades, what follows?  The Paralymics.  Yep, after every winter and summer games, the Paralymics follow.  Most people have no idea.  Through the adaptive sport programs of the Grand Rapids Wheelchair Sports Assoc., local athletes with disabilities have made it to the Paralympics–both the summer and the winter.  More on this later, but we have a local athlete, Tyler Anderson, heading to Vancouver to compete on the US Sled Hockey Team. 

Running or rolling in the River Bank Run to support GRWSA helps develop athletic talent so boys, girls, men and women can achieve their dreams of Olympic proportion.  Go to www.grwsa.com to download the runner/roller packet to raise money for GRWSA.

Ok, back to speed skating.

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The summer after 4th grade was the first time I went to summer camp.  I lived in Kalamazoo at the time and the camp was near Cincinnati, OH.  My older sister and I went with a group of friends from Toledo, OH.  We loaded up in a big motor home and drove down.  Well, our parents drove us down.  Two weeks of swimming, hiking, arts, crafts, horseback riding, singing songs, sleeping in a cabin……all the stuff a kid would love.  

 At the time, I did not have a disability.  That came much later in life.  If I did use a wheelchair and have a disability at the time, I probably would have stayed at home and watched my sister and our friends go off to camp without me.  Going to summer camp is an opportunity every kid should have regardless of physical ablityor economic background.  For kids withphysical disabilities, the Grand Rapids Wheelchair Sports Assoc. provides a week long, overnight, summer sports camp every summer.  For over 20 years, kids with physical disabilities, ages 6 to 18, have gathered together to spend a week among their peers.  They do not have to worry about fitting in.  For one brief week in their life, those without  disabilities are the ones who stand out.  They do not have to worry if everything will be accessible.  They come to try hand cycling, tennis, hand ball, basketball, softball, rock climbing, kayaking, sled hockey and many more activities. 

Grand Valley State University’s Allendale campus hosts sports camp each year.  In addition to the great sports kids get to try, there’s the fun of staying overnight in the dorms, playing cards, staying up later than everyone should–including the counselors.  Not all kids stay overnight, some only come for the day.  By the end of the week, both the kids and counselors look forward to the big water fight.  Many of the camp counselors are kids who attended camp themselves.  They know what a unique and marvelous experience it is.  Other counselors are adults who acquired disabilities later in life.  The kids get to meet and spend a week with real life role models who lead normal lives despite having a disability.  These kids get to see what is possible for them to achieve in life–all areas of life–just by going to camp for a week.  What an incredible experience to have.  Going to summer camp for a week!

If you are going to run, walk or roll in the River Bank Run, sign up to do it for GRWSA and help support fantastic opportunities like Wheelchair Sports Camp for kids with physical disabilites.  Check out www.grwsa.com for a pledge packet to find out more about how you can raise money for GRWSA!!

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GR Handcyclers getting ready for a ride

 While there have been a few recreational handcyclers in the Grand Rapids area, this year GRWSA is starting its first handcycling team.  Six of the ten available slots on the team have been filled.  Thanks to GRWSA, many have had the opportunity to borrow and try out a handcycle to see if it is something they enjoy.   Some cycles sit higher off the ground at more of regular wheelchair height.  Others sit very low to the ground.  Surprisingly the hand crank on the cycles are propelled by moving both arms in unison–more like the motion of rowing a boat–rather than like peddling a bicycle.  The price for one of these babies ranges from $2,500 to $6,500+!  This is why our community is fortunate to have the GRWSA to help out with supplying the equipment for various sporting opportunities.  This is also why we want YOU to run, roll or handcycle for GRWSA and help us raise money.   Check out more about handcycling on our website www.grwsa.com.

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Playing wheelchair tennis in the 2009 Midwest Regional tennis tournament hosted in Grand Rapids at Orchard Hills Tennis and Swim Club.

This is a brand new experience—being a charity partner for the River Bank Run AND doing a blog.  My name is Jocelyn and I’ll be blogging for this year’s event.  I’m a bit nervous, but after the first few times it will not seem as scary.  GRWSA is thrilled to have been selected as a charity partner.  Jack Doles from WOOD TV 8 is our Road Warrior.  “What is that?” you may ask.  Each charity partner is matched with a Road Warrior who will run to raise money for and awareness about the organization.  Plus, as people register for the race, they have the option to run for one of the charities and raise money for the organization.  Once again, there will be a lot for us to learn, but we are so excited about this opportunity.

GRWSA means so much to me.  Not only as an athlete who plays wheelchair tennis, but also as a board member.  I experience and see first hand the tremedous athletic opportunites available to people with physical disabilities in our community.  This is such a gem to have such an organization right here in Grand Rapids.  By traveling to various tennis tournaments around the US and meeting players from across the country and around the world, so many wheelchair tennis players WISH they could have an organization like GRWSA in their community.  How lucky we are!

Ok, off to watch some second round play in the Australian Open.  Bear with me as I figure out this blogging thing.  And if you have not yet registered for the River Bank Run, sign up to run for GRWSA!

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