Sports

USOC Expands Military Program to Support Disabled Vets The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) recently announced the Veterans Paralympic Performance Program (VP3), an expanded military program, which will provide elite-level sports programming and training for physically disabled veterans. Working closely with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the USOC will offer qualified athletes the opportunity to train as full-time resident athletes at Olympic and Paralympic Training Sites throughout the United States. "Providing elite sport competition for persons with physical disabilities through our Paralympic program is an integral goal of the USOC," said Norman Bellingham, USOC chief operating officer. "Our commitment to expand Paralympic activity ensures that veterans and other persons with physical disabilities will have the opportunity to derive the benefits of sport participation while pursuing their dream of representing America at the Paralympic Games." Applications for the program are available at www.usparalympics.org . Qualified athletes will begin training by June 1, 2007. The sites for the new VP3 initiative include: U.S. Olympic Training Center, Colorado Springs, Colorado. U.S. Olympic Training Center, Chula Vista, California. U.S. Olympic Education Center, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Michigan. Lakeshore Foundation, Olympic and Paralympic Training Site, Birmingham, Alabama. University of Central Oklahoma Paralympic Training Site, Edmond, Oklahoma. Challenge Aspen, Aspen, Colorado. For more information, please contact Beth Bourgeois, U.S. Paralympics, at 719. 866.2039 or beth.bourgeois@usoc.org Wounded Warriors to Participate in DS/USA Program Military servicemen and servicewomen who have been severely wounded in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will participate in a year-long program of sport rehabilitation offered by Disabled Sports USA (DS/USA), its chapters, and the Wounded Warrior Project, the two organizations announced. This year's Wounded Warrior Disabled Sports Project will include a series of activities, including more than 60 "learn-to" clinics in alpine and Nordic skiing, snowboarding, cycling, golf, outrigger canoeing, kayaking, scuba, rock climbing, camping, water skiing, wake boarding, track and field, and other sports. Besides basic instruction, advanced-level training and competitions are offered to help the Wounded Warriors to remain active throughout their lives. Several of the wounded warriors have been certified as ski instructors and scuba divers, and some are training to be Paralympians as a result of this program. Many have become active in local DS/USA chapter activities once they return to civilian life. DS/USA provides all sports programs free of charge for severely wounded service members and their families. This includes transportation costs, special adaptive sports equipment, training from qualified instructors, lodging, meals, and other costs. "These brave service members...deserve every opportunity to participate in sport programs early in their rehabilitation as a way to rebuild their lives," said Kirk Bauer, executive director of Disabled Sports USA and a disabled Vietnam veteran. "Participating in sports is one very effective way to show them they can still lead active and productive lives." Activities will be held for service members rehabilitating at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC), Washington, DC; Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC), San Antonio, Texas; Balboa Naval Medical Center, San Diego, California; and Tampa Veterans Hospital, Tampa, Florida. For schedules and additional information, call 301.217.9840 or visit www.dsusa.org/woundedwarrior.htm WORLD BRIEFS Registration for eX2 Is Open Registration is now open online at www.extremitygames.com for the 2007 O&P Extremity Games by College Park (eX2). eX2 takes place July 19-21 at the Orlando Watersports Complex, Orlando, Florida. The expanded 2007 event includes skateboarding, wakeboarding, rock climbing, BMX biking, mountain biking, in-line skating, Moto-X, kayaking, surfing, and skydiving. For more event information, visit www.extremitygames.com/event Snowboard Championship Set The 2007 United States of America Snowboard Association (USASA) National Championship will be held March 31-April 7 at Northstar-at-Tahoe, Nevada, Adaptive Action Sports (AAS) recently announced. Since 2000, the Adaptive Division of USASA has provided opportunities for athletes with permanent physical disabilities to compete in adaptive snowboard/ski competition. This event is open to adaptive athletes from other countries as well as the United States and is open to riders of all skills levels, said AAS Winter Program Director Lucas Grossi. Contact Lucas Grossi at lucasgrossi@adacs.org or visit AAS's new website: www.adaptiveactionsports.org , for additional information. CAF Forms Florida Chapter The Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF), based in San Diego, California, has created its first chapter: CAF-Florida. CAF's Board of Directors' approval for establishing the new chapter is "a big leap forward" in CAF's efforts to increase its national and international presence, CAF said. Spearheaded by former World Triathlon Corporation president Lew Friedland, the new chapter "will serve to deliver CAF's message of heroes, heart, and hope to new audiences in the Sunshine State-and across the Southeast," according to the organization. For more information about Operation Rebound: Florida, visit: raceforareason.kintera.org/orflorida ; for more information about CAF, visit www.challengedathletes.org

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