User:Abbyloberg/sandbox

Benefits
Many children with special needs are denied when they want to participate in a sport. In the U.S., the Office Civil Rights ensures students with disabilities always have opportunities to participate in extracurricular athletics equal to other students. Special Education students can benefit from sports in many ways. For example studies show it boosts self confidence and improves the participant's skills in relationship building and working as part of a team. Also, it can reduce the risk of getting a disease.

Types of Sports
Just about any sport can be changed for special education children if they want to participate. Some of the popular sports are swimming, soccer, handball, gymnastics, and weightlifting.

Organizations & Programs
Many competitive organizations are available for special needs student athletes. For example, the Special Olympics is an annual, world-wide competition held for children with disabilities that want to participate in sports. Other organizations include the Paralympic Games and Unified Sports, the latter which pairs participants with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team. Educational institutions can also promote Adapted Physical Education, which tailors sports for students with certain disabilities. Organizations like S.T.R.I.D.E. Adaptive Sports help educational institutions in providing opportunities for special education student athletes. Some of these sports might include wheelchair basketball or sledge hockey.

Some sports have their own organizations; for example, in baseball athletes can participate in the Miracle League or Little League Challenger Division. Another organization that soccer athletes can participate in US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer or Just for Kicks.

Other sports which can be played or adapted include wheelchair soccer, track & field, quad rugby, tennis, bowling, and skiing.

Famous Athletes
Matt Hamill, a wrestler and UFC fighter, has been deaf since he was born. He was a 3-time Division III National Champion for wrestling, and later fought in the UFC's Light Heavyweight division.

Jim Abbott was born without a right hand. He won the James E. Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in the U.S. He threw a no hitter. This is how he was able to pitch with one arm: Abbott would rest his mitt on the end of his right forearm. After releasing the ball, he would quickly slip his hand into the mitt, usually in time to field any balls that a two-handed pitcher would be able to field. Next he would secure the mitt between his right forearm and torso, slip his hand out of the mitt, and remove the ball from the mitt, usually in time to throw out the runner at first or sometimes even start a double play.

Natalie du Toit had her leg amputated at the knee after she was hit by a car. She won both the multi-disability 50 m freestyle and the multi-disability 100 m freestyle in world record time. She also won six gold medals at the fourth IPC World Swimming Championships, finishing third overall in a race which included 36 males & 20 females.