The region may have found some future sporting stars when Solve Disability Solutions hosted its Inclusive Community Sport Day last Monday.
The day aimed to connect people living with disability to sporting clubs and groups in the community and promote participation in sport.
Solve recreation development manager Tim Marchinton said sport played a key role in helping people with disability feel connected to the community.
“Sport is integral in the Australian culture for people to feel part of a local community, whether that’s through a sporting club or another organisation around a particular recreation pursuit,” he said.
“It’s a place where people feel welcome and looked after and they can do the thing they love with other people who have the same level of passion.”
About 40 people and their carers took part in the day, trying out sports including archery, pickleball, badminton, bowls, wheelchair rugby and Zumba.
“The best practice today is that all sports clubs are endeavouring to be as inclusive and accessible as possible,” Mr Marchinton said.
“The world has changed in that sport for everybody is a completely achievable goal … and so it’s so exciting to see people coming and living their best lives here.”
Inverleigh’s Dennis Richmond was a sport fanatic in his younger days, before a spinal injury in a farming accident at 16 left him in a wheelchair.
“I’m interested in all sports, basically. I watch everything on TV connected with sports and before I was injured, I did play a lot of sports,” he said.
“It was an emotional change at the start [after my injury] because being so young, to be cut out of that sort of social fabric, it was hard.
“Thirty to 40 years ago, there wasn’t anything like this for people [with a disability] … so I really enjoy now trying to keep up with the younger people and meeting people who have had similar experiences.”
Also enjoying the day was eight-year-old Neo, a cricket tragic and sport fanatic, who enjoyed trying sports that were accessible with his wheelchair.
“I like sport because it’s competitive and challenging,” he said.
He also said he enjoyed the social aspect and being able to connect with other wheelchair users.
Mr Marchinton said he and his team of volunteers at Solve were keen to help anyone with disability find the sport that “helps their soul wag its tail”.
Details: solve.org.au
