Sept. 10, 2000
Columbia, Mo. - Softball players from the University of Missouri as well as the St. Louis and Kansas City Wheelchair Athletic Associations met Sunday behind the Hearnes Center for some rolling fun in the sun.
The 2nd Annual Wheelchair Softball Demonstration and Clinic provided Missouri students, staff and Columbia residents the chance to see how people with disabilities compete with very little modification to the sport. Due to traction issues, a wheelchair softball game is usually played on a large asphalt or concrete surface, but other than playing from a seated position, that is essentially the only difference.
"These people can play the same sports as everyone else with little adaptation," said Jerry Hitzhusen, an MU associate professor and the organizer of the event. "It's all about awareness and inclusion. The (MU) softball players now have an advantage in understanding, as this event puts them in a chair more than any able-bodied student on campus," Hitzhusen said.
Softball is just one of the popular wheelchair sports, according to Vito Lucido, program director for the St. Louis Wheelchair Athletic Association. The association also sponsors wheelchair basketball, track and field, water-skiing, tennis, scuba, karate, hockey and rugby, among others.
"Today's clinic is really about exposure and having some fun, but you should see a real match," said Lucido. "The athletes are fiercely competitive, and there are some cutthroat games. You'll find big guys with great arms making some unbelievable plays. It's a really fast-paced game."
The wheelchair sports hold a greater purpose than just competitive camaraderie. "Our mission is to improve the physical condition and quality of life of the disabled through participation in sports. It is a complement and extension of physical therapy in hospitals," Lucido said.
Mike Mager, a Kansas City wheelchair athlete, agreed with Lucido. "I've been doing this for 22 years. I compete in softball, water-skiing, basketball, tennis, and I am a certified scuba diver. To walk again is my ultimate goal. I'm not giving up after 22 years," Mager said.