U.S. Paralympics, NWSRA partner to create sports club

U.S. Paralympics, a division of the U.S. Olympic Committee, and Northwest Special Recreation Association have partnered to create Paralympic Sport Club Northwest Suburban Chicago.

Paralympic Sport Club Northwest Suburban Chicago is a community-based sports club developed to involve youth and adults, including active duty service members and veterans, with physical and visual disabilities in ongoing sports and physical activity, regardless of skill level. All programs and activities will be based in the Northwest suburbs and run by NWSRA

“U.S. Paralympics is dedicated to creating opportunities for individuals with physical and visual disabilities to be physically active in their own communities. Participation in physical activity enhances not only self-esteem and peer relationships, but also results in greater achievement, better overall health and higher quality of life,” said Mike Mushett, U.S. Paralympics director of Community Programs.

With 21 million Americans living with a physical or visual disability, including thousands of military personnel who’ve been severely injured while on active duty, this is an important community need.

Tracey Crawford, executive director of NWSRA, stated, “We are proud to partner with U.S. Paralympics and to continue providing outstanding opportunities through recreation for individuals with disabilities. We look forward to sharing in the successes that the athletes will experience through Paralympic sport.”

Paralympic Sport Clubs will soon be located in all 50 states in the U.S. and the network continues to grow.

For information about NWSRA, contact Brian Selders at (847) 392-2848 or bselders@nwsra.org.

For information about U.S. Paralympics, contact Beth Bourgeois at (719) 866-2039 or beth.bourgeois@usoc.org.

U.S. Paralympics, a division of the U.S. Olympic Committee, is dedicated to becoming the world leader in the Paralympic sports movement and to promoting excellence in the lives of persons with physical disabilities. Visit the U.S. Paralympics website at www.usparalympics.org.

NWSRA was formed in 1973 to provide recreation services to children and adults with disabilities and is an extension of 17 member park districts in the Northwest suburbs. NWSRA offers public access, year round recreational programming to more than 14,000 individuals with disabilities in its service area.

NWSRA is one of the largest of all special recreation associations and is a leader among peers with more than 18,000 registrations for programs in 2011. NWSRA is a two-time National Recreation and Park Association National Gold Medal Award winner and was recognized as a Distinguished Accredited Agency by the Illinois Park and Recreation Association.

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