New Gloucester, ME – U.S. Paralympics, a division of the U.S. Olympic Committee, and New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA) have partnered to create Paralympic Sport – Northeast.
Paralympic Sport – Northeast is a community-based sports club developed to involve youth and adults, including active duty service members and veterans, with physical and visual disabilities in ongoing sports and physical activity, regardless of skill level. All programs and activities will be based in the Northeast and run by NENSA.
“U.S. Paralympics is dedicated to creating opportunities for individuals with physical and visual disabilities to be physically active in their own communities. Participation in physical activity enhances not only self-esteem and peer relationships, but also results in greater achievement, better overall health and higher quality of life,” said Mike Mushett, U.S. Paralympics Director of Community Programs.
With 21 million Americans living with a physical or visual disability, including thousands of military personnel who’ve been severely injured while on active duty, this is an important community need.
NENSA’s Adaptive Program started in the winter of 2011 and seeks to increase access to adaptive Nordic programs, events, equipment and education throughout the Northeast. In addition to coordinating with regional adaptive organizations and ski clubs and teams, the NENSA Adaptive Program offers instructor training courses and runs programs for veterans and service people throughout the region.
“We are excited and proud to be a Paralympic Sport Club, a designation that reflects hard work and support of many participants, volunteers, and ski clubs throughout the region ” said NENSA Adaptive Programs Director, Eileen Carey, “the partnership will help us to improve our programming and increase access to our sport in the Northeast.”
“With several individuals and groups throughout the northeast doing great work in adaptive Nordic skiing, this designation as a Paralympic Sport Club recognizes NENSA’s aim to serve as a unifying resource supporting access, education, and programming across the region,” said NENSA Executive Director, Zach Stegeman.
Paralympic Sport Clubs will soon be located in all 50 states in the U.S. and the network continues to grow.
For more information about NENSA’s Adaptive Program, please contact Eileen Carey at eileen@nensa.net or (207) 514-3230. For more information about U.S. Paralympics, please contact Beth Bourgeois at (719) 866-2039 or beth.bourgeois@usoc.org.
About U.S. Paralympics:
U.S. Paralympics, a division of the U.S. Olympic Committee, is dedicated to becoming the world leader in the Paralympic sports movement and to promoting excellence in the lives of persons with physical disabilities. Visit the U.S. Paralympics website at www.usparalympics.org.
About New England Nordic Ski Association:
It is the mission of the New England Nordic Ski Association to implement educational, recreational, and competitive programs at all levels of cross-country skiing. NENSA works to sustain a vital and active skiing community in New England, and to provide the support structure necessary to bring cross-country skiers to their highest potential at regional, national, and international events. Visit the NENSA website at www.nensa.net.
Audrey Mangan
Audrey Mangan (@audreymangan) is an Associate Editor at FasterSkier and lives in Colorado. She learned to love skiing at home in Western New York.
