Special Needs: Sports, Vets, Seniors, Travel and Others

1.USA Swimming Org, teaches swimming and other water skills to people of all ages and skill levels. The organization has adaptive swimming programs for people with disabilities.

2.National Wheelchair Softball Association,Wheelchair Softball is one of the fastest growing wheelchair sports in the U.S.A.

3.North American Riding for the Handicapped Association, the nation’s oldest and largest association for handicapped horseback riding. See also #2 below under Veteran's for their Horses for Hereos Program.

4.HorsesNHeros, located in  Citra, FL, a local non-profit for low income girls with special problems, teaching them the skills and discipline required later in life.

5.Horses4Heroes, Las Vegas, NV, makes horseback riding affordable and accessible for the children of police and correction officers, fire fighters, military personnel, and other heroes in the community. 

6.National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA), national sponsoring organization for state wheelchair basketball tournaments. Has good directory of State Wheelchair Basketball teams. See them at: http://www.nwba.org/index.php and click on the link to the left for Team Directories.

7.Roll-With-It, Clearlake, Mn, part of the NWBA (above), has two teams, the Minnesota Royals (Eagan, Mn), and the St. Cloud Cyclones(Saint Cloud, Mn).

8.Courage Center Sports, home of the Mn Lightening, Mn Blaze, and Mn Rowdy Rollers, in Golden Valley,Mn, among many other teams. Looking for Coaches and Referees. Part of the NWBA (listed above.)
See also: Courage Camps and The Courage Center, previous page.

9.Michigan Thunderbirds Wheelchair Sports, Ann Arbor, MI. Runs programs in wheelchair basketball, bicycling, and soccer. Home of the Nationally-ranked Thunderbirds Varsity and Junior Varsity Wheelchair Teams.
 They are part of the new fast growing Quad Rugby Association. See Quad Rugby at: http://www.quadrugby.com/toc.htm .Also a member of the NWBA.

10.U.S. Electric Wheelchair Hockey Association (PowerHockey.Com), Eden Prairie, Mn,They are affiliated with the  North American Power Hockey Association in Calgary, Canada.

11.Wheelchair Hockey League, located in Pinckney, MI. It appears they are a fast growing Michigan Wheelchair Sports League.

1.Wheelchair Sports Association of Grand Rapids- a multi-sport association with a national audience. Sponsors of the Grand Rapids Pacers and Junior Pacers BB Teams. Offers adult and junior basketball programs, adult and junior tennis programs, road racing, hand cycling, a 5-day sports camp, snow skiing, and hosts adapted water ski clinics. A fast growing organization. For those of you in the Michigan area, check them out! The MI Branch is located in Grand Rapids, MI,while the WI Branch is located in Menominee Falls, WI. The WI branch sponsors the Waukesha Thunder W.C. Basketball Team.

2.American Association of Adapted Sports,Altanta, Georgia. Primarily an after hours sports program for wheelchair youth, the Association is expanding its outreach to other ages and disabilties.

3.Wheelchair Sports USA. Must be a member to view this site.

1. Capable Partners, Golden Valley, Mn, a relatively new group of outdoor sportsmen dedicated to helping the disabled hunt, fish and do other outdoor activities.

2. Challenge the Outdoors, Shiocton, WI, "dedicated to serving the recreational needs and desires of the physically challenged", esp.in hunting and fishing.

3. Adaptive Sportsmen Inc., Greenfield, WI, sponsors hunting & fishing trips for physically challenged sports people from the Great Lakes Area. Has very good links page to other disabled outdoor programs in the country.

4. Handicapped Anglers of Michigan, a small private org of handicapped fishermen in this Great Lake State.

1.The Disabled American Veterans, works with government agencies and private providers to assist veterans in their transition to civilian life. Visit with them at their Disabled American Veteran’s Rest Camp, and the affiliated, U.S. Blind Horseshoe Pitchers Association, and the affiliated, Wounded Warriors Resorts.

2.NARHA Horses for Heroes, for Military Veterans,A relatively new horseback riding program that is being very well received by wounded war veterans.

3.National Disabled Veteran’s Winter Sports Clinic, The nation's largest veteran's sports clinic enabling injured vet's to learn Alpine and Nordic skiing, snowboarding, rock climbing, scuba diving, trap shooting, horseback riding, snowmobiling and sled hockey.They have 2 related links: http://www.defenselink.mil/PhotoEssays/photoessay.aspx?id=256&Page=1&Count=5   and,
      http://www.challengeaspen.com/veterans-winter-sports-clinic.cfm

4.Disabled Sports USA- "Wounded Warrior Project”, a much needed and highly acclaimed project for veterans of recent combat action.

5.Ford Motor Company, Mountainside Miracles, as part of their Community Services Program, assists disabled vets in several winters sports including snowmobiling.

1.Friendship Ventures, Annandale, MN, a fairly large and well connected non-profit offering opportunities and hope to children and adults with mental and physical disabilities through outdoor activities.

2.Challenge Mountain-MI, Petoskey,MI offers individualized instruction for people with limitations in skiing, hiking, and camping.

3.Sun Valley Adaptive Sports, Sun Valley, ID. For people with disabilities to experience "the thrills of alpine skiing, snowboarding, Nordic skiing, whitewater rafting, kayaking, and rock climbing.They want people to enjoy the "excitement of hiking, biking, running, martial arts, and skeet shooting". SVAP encourages  people "to discover the serenity of fly-fishing, yoga, theater, swimming, and hot springs".

1.U.S. National Park Service, Free Access Pass for Disabilities at all U.S. Parks and Forests.

2.Minnesota DNR “Open the Outdoors”, making MN state parks accessible to all people with disabilities.  

3.Wisconsin DNR “Open the Outdoors”, making WI state parks accessible to folks with disabilities.

4. MichiganAgrAbility Project- admin. by Michigan State University Extension Division helps injured farmers get training to continue working on the farm after their injury.

5.Minnesota AgrAbility Project- admin. by the University of Minnesota, helping injured farmers get training to continue working after their injury.

6.Wisconsin AgrAbility Project, admin. by the University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension.Helping injured Wisconsin farmers continue on.

1.Wilderness Inquiry, Mpls, Mn., has guided adventure trips all over the world for people of all ages and skill levels with a particular emphasis on low-income children and developmentally disabled children.

2 Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality, assists people with disabilities in overcoming barriers in traveling and advocates for accessible world-wide travel. Check out their link for accessible travel in the Wisconsin parks and other recreational facilities, http://www.sath.org/index.html?pageID=10127

3.Over-50-Lifetime Fitness Alliance, has fitness programs, training, and special summer fitness camps for seniors. A renewed emphasis on life-long recreation.

4. Seniors Enjoying the Outdoors, an on-line journal for active seniors.
           

5. Seniors Go Travel,an on-line travel resource for primarily Canadian and U.S. Seniors.