Paralympic athletes visit KIN 100 class

Story by: Maegan Regula
Video by: Alexa Connelly, Marck Anthony Marques, Antonio Robinson

Paralympic athletes visited KIN 100 classes to teach wheelchair basketball skills and educate students about disability sport. Students participated in learning stations, such as learning the basics of dribbling, listening to Paralympic experiences and playing a scrimmage game. Through these activities, they had meaningful and collaborative contact with the Paralympians and started to form an understanding of what these athletes do every day. KIN 410 students also took part in the skill lab to make connections between educating about adapted sport and tolerance, and their future as health and physical educators. Two JMU alumni, Shaina Allen and Mike Esposito, who produced and directed the film “The Rebound”, a documentary about wheelchair basketball, also attended to discuss the film and the value of sociocultural attitude change. The goal of this lab was to broaden the understanding of Paralympic sport through contact with Paralympic athletes and high quality engagement experiences