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Rugby and basketball like you've never seen

Posted at 5:15 PM, Sep 22, 2018
and last updated 2018-09-22 17:19:04-04

People living with disabilities came together in Hamburg Saturday for a little friendly competition at the 2018 Adaptive Sports and Rec Expo. Quad rugby and wheelchair basketball were the most popular sports at the event, designed to spread awareness of the athletic opportunities available in the community for those who are disabled. 

“It gave me confidence that I could be involved with something like a competitive sport again," organizer, Stephen Spitz said. “It was huge for me in my rehabilitation process and getting acclimated to the community again to be involved in something.” 

Spitz has been in a wheelchair for the last 28 years after being involved in a motorcycle accident.

Students and professor's from the Department of Rehabilitation Science at the University at Buffalo's School of Public Health welcomed around 150 disabled athletes. 

“We got to play wheelchair basketball in class one day and we really enjoyed it. After we were talking to some of the competitive basketball players we realized how many other adaptive opportunities there were that we had no idea about," Katie Diekmann, a physical therapy graduate student, said. 

Attendees tested out adaptive spots equipment including racing wheelchairs, and sit skis, some even participated in adaptive yoga. 

 

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