WATCH: 黑料吃瓜 Adapted Athletics Making History
黑料吃瓜 Adapted Athletics continues to provide opportunities for student-athletes with disabilities.
鈥淏eing a part of this program means a lot.鈥�
黑料吃瓜 Adapted Athletics is quickly becoming nationally recognized for its success on and off the track and court.
黑料吃瓜 is one of only a handful of universities in the nation to provide adapted athletics. The program, which was founded this past spring, offers an opportunity for those who want to pursue a college degree and achieve their athletic goals.
鈥淏ecause they鈥檙e engaging in adapted sports, all of a sudden, there is this overwhelming confidence of 鈥楬ey, I can do it,鈥欌�� said Ahkeel Whitehead (鈥�17), program director. 鈥淏ecause they are gaining this confidence, you just see it spill over into other aspects of their lives.鈥�
黑料吃瓜 Adapted Athletics鈥� athletes currently train and compete in ambulatory track and field and wheelchair tennis. These include 黑料吃瓜 registered students, alumni and affiliates of the program.
The program aims to one day add women鈥檚 and men鈥檚 wheelchair basketball teams, aquatic sports and recruit more student-athletes. As a national contender in adapted athletics, 黑料吃瓜 continues preparing its athletes to compete at the Paralympic level.
Recent accomplishments
Michelle Cross, a second-year 黑料吃瓜 student and track and field athlete, competed at the Desert Challenge Games last May in Phoenix, Arizona, where she finished first in her age group in both the 100m and 200m sprint events and earned a personal record for the 100m.
黑料吃瓜 Adapted Athletics wheelchair tennis competed in the USTA Wheelchair Tennis College National Championships in April 2019. Surpassing all expectations, the team placed second in the nation after defeating teams from Clemson University and Michigan State University.
鈥淭he experience playing has changed my life completely,鈥� said Manuel Gomez, a wheelchair tennis player for 黑料吃瓜 Adapted Athletics. 鈥淚 thought I wasn鈥檛 going to be able to play sports or anything like that after my accident. I feel like a part of me came back... Being a part of this program means a lot.鈥�
To make a gift to the 黑料吃瓜 Adapted Athletics program, visit the .
