Vigor among Veterans

Athlete games and events of competition or exhibition for those in wheelchairs is now in its 24th year. These National Veterans Wheelchair Games grew out of an historic wheelchair sports involvement of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Sports with participants in wheelchairs started when the Second World War ended, when veterans young and disabled started to play basketball in their wheelchairs while they recovered in VA hospitals all over the country.
Sports in wheelchairs soon went beyond basketball to track and field, swimming, archery, and bowling. A number of associations for wheelchair sports sprouted.

Wheelchair sports and competitive events during the wheelchair games now include archery, weightlifting, air guns, basketball, bowling, nine ball, power relays, trap shoots, motor rallies, rugby, slaloms, power chair 220, hand cycles, softballs, swimming, table tennis and track. Each year the competition in wheelchairs by disabled and paralyzed veterans expanded in numbers. The U.S. Veterans Administration premiered its Recreation Therapy Services in 1980, the focus of which was on spreading the word about the rehabilitative affect of these games in wheelchairs. VA therapists now recognize and use these wheelchair sports as therapeutic tools for disabled veteran recovery.

To compete in any of these sports with their wheelchairs, these athletes have to qualify and be placed competitively with others whose disability degrees are similar. Each is given a medical exam for this purpose. Three quadriplegic classifications emerge, as well as four paraplegic classifications. Amputees get divided up by the degree of their amputation. Victims of stroke, multiple sclerosis and other such disabilities are also classified according to their impairment level. 1981 debuted the National Veterans Wheelchair Games. The year became known as the "International Year of Disabled Persons. The first event took place in Richmond Virginia at the city's VA medical center. 74 disabled veterans brought their wheelchairs from
14 states to compete in such sports as billiards, table tennis, weightlifting and swimming. What this initiated among those who participated was the strength of camaraderie and having something in common. Hundreds of disabled veterans now compete in the Games every year.

By 1985 the National Veterans Wheelchair Games were complex, huge and expensive. The sponsor medical centers were struggling to cope with them. The group called the Paralyzed Veterans of America not only became co-sponsor to help the events but also went out to a variety of corporations and influenced them to cosponsor as well. Corporate sponsorships are an ongoing and vital part of keeping these games alive.
1987 was the first year disabled veterans came from as far away as the UK to compete. UK disabled veterans now take part each year. The British Ex-Services Wheelchair Sports association sprang up and now produces wheelchair games with an international flavor that are held every few years in the UK.

The National Veterans Wheelchair Games is now the biggest annual sports event for those in wheelchairs anywhere in the world. Now more than 500 athletes bring their wheelchairs from nearly every state, from Puerto Rico and from the UK to compete. The 2004 games were held in St. Louis Missouri, the 2005 games in Minneapolis Minnesota. The 2006 games will be held July 3rd through 8th in Anchorage Alaska. Right now the folks putting the games together are busy soliciting the 200+ volunteers they will need to help with meals, with transportation, setting up the sites, keeping scoring, timing, take photos, and giving out water. Those interested in volunteering can apply online. The VA and the PVA both remain committed to the games and their ability to help rehabilitate these disabled veterans.

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