For the second year, ParaSport & Recreation PEI re-launched the After School Wheelchair Sports Program. The program began the second week of May and ran for 6 weeks at three Island schools.
Sarah Gillis, Canada Games Wheelchair Basketball athlete led the sessions at O’Leary Elementary School, Westwood Primary School and Montague Consolidated School. The program was exclusively designed for children with mobility impairments while also welcoming any student to participate. It was an ideal way to include both children with mobility impairments and able-bodied children in a program together where everyone could fully participate.
The goal of this program was to help children with mobility impairments between the ages of 5-12 to become physically active by helping to establish wheelchair fundamental skills, knowledge and abilities needed to confidently participate in play and sport with their peers. Children had the opportunity to practice and play some wheelchair sports, with a slight emphasis on wheelchair basketball and wheelchair tennis, as both sports are offered on PEI.
Overall approximately 110 students across PEI took part in the program.
We would like to extend a thank you to the schools that participated this spring. We will be looking for schools to participate in the program next school year, so check back for further announcements on our After School Program.