Sports, Identity and the Disability Blue

College and Paralympic Swimming!

Today I talk with Carson Sanocki. He explores his journey as a visually impaired swimmer. He opens up about struggling to fit in as a child with a disability. The impact that becoming a college and Paralympic swimmer! He also shares his frustration with the classification system that determined he was not eligible to participate in the Toyoko Paralympics! This is a great conversation!  

Adaptive and Paralympic Rowing!

Today I sit down with Helmut Berthold who founded the Para Adaptive rowing program at the Greater Columbus Rowing Association in Columbus Ohio. He is also the Chairman of the Para High Performance committee with USRowing. We discuss the benefits of adaptive rowing for people with disabilities. We also talk about the current and future state of Paralympic rowing in the United States. I think you will enjoy this conversation! 

If you are interested in learning more about the Para Adaptive rowing program with the Greater Columbus Rowing Association, please visit their website: Para Adaptive Rowing Program — Greater Columbus Rowing Association 

If you interested in learning more about Paralympic Rowing, please visit their website: USRowing Para National Team - USRowing

 

Allyship, Special Olympics Virginia, and the Summer Games

I had the chance to sit down with Casey Henderson, who is the Director of Fitness and events with Special Olympics Virginia. She has profound insights to share from her work as an ally to Individuals with intellectual disabilities. She also shares information about the Summer Games taking Place in Richmond, Virginia June 7-8!

If you want to volunteer for the Summer Games, please sign up at the following link: 

https://www.specialolympicsva.org/summer-games/summer-games-volunteer?locale=en 

If you want to learn more about Special Olympics Virginia, please visit their website: https://www.specialolympicsva.org/   

Marc Miller

I sit down with Marc Miller, and he talks about his journey as someone who is a paraplegic. This is a very powerful conversation. We do discuss possible triggering topic of suicide near the end of this conversation.

If anyone is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please call 1 The Crisis Suicide Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK You can also text 988.

You are not alone!

Listen to this powerful discussion, to learn from a Husband Father, Grandfather, and athlete with a disability.

Sportable, The NWBA National Championship, and the River City Slam

In Today's episode, I sit down with Forrest Lodge who is the Director of Strategic Parentships, at Sportable.  Sportable is a nonprofit   an adaptive recreation organization based in Richmond Virginia. Forrest and I discuss what he learned from the first year as the host of the National Wheelchair Basketball Championship tournaments this past April. We also talk about the upcoming River City Slam Wheelchair Tennis Tournament taking place June 6-9 at Collegiate School's Williams Bollettieri Tennis Center.

They do need volunteers if you are interested in volunteering, here is the link. Welcome | 2024 River City Slam Volunteer | Sportable (sportngin.com)   

 

You can also contact Forrest Lodge directly via email at forrest@sportable.org  

Jennifer Mawhinney

Come check out this This Conversation with Jennifer. She shares her story as someone with a disability, has completed races on crutches, and using a racing wheelchair. She also discusses the important community that she found through Run/Roll Disney. Come check out this unstoppable story!

Here is the link to the song that Jennifer uses for motivation. Unstoppable by Sia: https://youtu.be/YaEG2aWJnZ8?si=xYNgx7prebVJqNCm

 

Grace Ross

Faith, family, and sports. Those are the anchors that are foundation of Grace Ross's journey as a person with a disability. Grace was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2008. Through a friend at a support group, she found Sportable, an adaptive recreation organization in Richmond, Virginia. Listen to this interesting conversation with the Sportable athlete of the year in 2022!

 

Sportable Link:    Home | Sportable

David Petit

This is an awesome conversation with a college athlete with a disability! I sit down with David Petit who is from Minesota, and just finished his first year of college at Missouri playing wheelchair basketball! David shares his experience growing up with spina bifida and playing adaptive sports. Please Isten to a cool story!