KU Sport Management collaborates with KU Recreation Services to provide Inclusive Recreation Extravaganza
By Dominique Kropp, KU Sport Management Doctoral Student
The Amateur Sport Research Center (ASRC) within the KU Sport Management Program is collaborating with KU Recreation Services to host an event which will provide KU students and community members the opportunity to learn more about adaptive and inclusive sport. On Tuesday, April 17th from 4:30–7:30, participants will be able to take part in Goal Ball (a team sport for blind or invisibly impaired individuals), wheelchair basketball, unified soccer, sit volleyball, unified basketball, wheelchair team handball, and floor hockey. The event will be hosted at the Ambler Student Recreation Center on the KU Campus.
In addition, Brady Tanner, A 3-time Gold Medalist and 1-time Silver Medalist in the Special Olympics will be displaying his talents in a Bench Press Demo. Accessible equipment will be available and information tables will be present to educate attendees about the benefits and importance of inclusive recreational opportunities.
The idea for the event developed when Jason Krone, director of KU Recreation Services, spoke with another Recreation Services director at a conference, sparking the thought that perhaps KU could host an inclusive sport event. Krone then collaborated with the Sport Management program, and specifically the Amateur Sport Research Center, to develop the April event.
When asked about the overall goal of the event, Stensland explained, “The ASRC is excited to partner with the KU Recreation Center on the upcoming Inclusive Recreation Extravaganza. The hope is that individuals can walk away from this event with a better understanding of the types of adaptive sports that exist as well as showcase the adaptive equipment the KU Rec Center has to offer. I truly believe this event is a great way to highlight the inclusivity of sport.”
Scola also expressed excitement about the event, emphasizing the collaboration with the Ambler Recreation Center and the benefits of the event. “The Amateur Sport Research Center is extremely excited to partner with the Ambler Recreation Center to put on the Inclusive Recreation Extravaganza. This event should allow many students to see offerings of adaptive sport they are potentially unfamiliar with and also allow them to participate in these sports. The event should educate students and increase their understanding of inclusivity in sport. Our Sport Management students are looking forward to volunteering and participating in this new event. Additionally, this event will showcase some of the Lawrence area’s great adaptive sport athletes, in sports like wheelchair basketball, goal ball, and power lifting among others. We are extremely excited to partner with the Rec Center and hope to make this event an annual happening available to all.”
“This event should allow many students to see offerings of adaptive sport they are potentially unfamiliar with and also allow them to participate in these sports.”
— Zach Scola, KU Sport Management Doctoral Student and ASRC Co-President
Recreation Services and ASRC have spent several months planning and organizing the Inclusive Recreation Extravaganza, offering KU students and those in the Lawrence community an opportunity to learn about inclusive and adaptive sport. As the date of the event nears, both organizations encourage all to attend the event and take advantage of this unique opportunity.
