Pitt leads effort to organize adaptive sports network
Jason Miller, Pitt’s assistant director of intramurals, is leading an effort to connect organizers of groups that offer sports activities for people with disabilities through a new consortium, the Pittsburgh Adaptive Sports Network.
“I think adaptive sports need more attention and more support,” said Miller, noting that while there are several dozen groups in the area, there had been no organization devoted to bringing those groups together for networking and increasing their collective visibility.
“Pitt is really the unifying force,” Miller said, adding that the intramurals office, the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS), Disability Services, and disability advocacy student groups are among the groups on campus with interest in adaptive sports.
Miller has made connections with numerous organizations, including adaptive sports groups, through his own project, ActivePittsburgh.com, an online directory of local sports, fitness and recreation opportunities. He found a kindred spirit in Larry Gioia, founder of Dynamic Paddlers, which offers adaptive kayaking instruction.
They began to ponder: “Can we, through our leverage and the network we already have established, bring people together, allow them to start to interact, and give them a greater voice?” Miller said.
With the help of Pitt’s Marilyn Ross, Intramurals and Recreation director, and Sam Vescovi, recreational sports coordinator, Pittsburgh Adaptive Sports Network was launched with a networking meeting at the Petersen Events Center last month.
“What would happen if you had a formal gathering where people could meet and network and present information on their groups?” Miller said. “If you get like-minded people together in a room, it’s going to yield planning and partnerships.”
The event, which drew nearly 100 people from a contact list of some 50 local organizations, was a bigger success than they’d envisioned, Miller said. “We had to chase people out of the building that night.”
He added: “A lot of people got connected,” resulting not only in increased awareness of the range of adaptive sports opportunities, but budding partnerships as well.
Although there is no standalone adaptive sports and recreation program on campus, Miller said there is a vision for making Pitt a hub for adaptive sports and recreation or paralympic sports.
Plans are in the works to host a wheelchair basketball exhibition on campus this fall, and perhaps establish a wheelchair basketball league, he said.
And grant applications are being prepared in conjunction with SHRS seeking funding for projects benefiting student veteran athletes.
“Where this goes will take time,” he said. “We’ll see where it goes from here.
“As a result of simply bringing people together, it’s already naturally happening that people are making connections,” he said.
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Larry Gioia, founder of Dynamic Paddlers, addresses last month’s networking session at the Petersen Events Center. Nearly 100 people attended the meeting.
Pittsburgh Adaptive Sports Network is on Twitter (@AdaptPittsburgh) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/adaptPGH). Links to local adaptive sports groups are at http://activepittsburgh.com/adaptive/.
—Kimberly K. Barlow