Approximately 300 athletes participated in the seventh annual Endeavor Games for Athletes with Physical Disabilities June 8 – 11 at the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) in Edmond, Okla. Participants included 13 Wounded Warriors injured in the war on global terrorism.

The games were presented by Disabled Sports USA and its partner, the Wounded Warrior Project, which hosted members of the U.S. military as special guests.

Events included table tennis, archery, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair softball, track and field, tennis, shooting, bocce, pentathlon, swimming, and power lifting. Sports clinics were also held in cycling, archery, sit volleyball, and wheelchair tennis. There also was an Emerging Athletes Throwing Clinic presented by the National Paralympics Throwing Team. Keynote speaker at the opening ceremonies was Mike Schlappi, four-time Paralympic Medalist and two-time World Champion in wheelchair basketball.

This event also marked the kick-off of the Disabled Sports USA Youth Sports Mentoring Program. Four of the Wounded Warriors competing in the 2006 Endeavor Games were also attending as mentors. These mentors, having completed a mentor training session hosted by DS/USA Headquarters in May, were matched with four young athlete mentees. Throughout the weekend, the pairs had several opportunities to develop a relationship based on common interest in sport, and meant to encourage continued active lifestyles.

“The goal of the mentoring program is to build confidence and self-esteem, encourage involvement in sports and recreation, and to foster social interaction between people of all abilities,” said Kirk Bauer, Executive Director of Disabled Sports USA. “Role models will interact with youth by sharing their own stories and inspire young people to gain confidence to face their future.”

Leslie N. Smith, Capt. (Ret.), U.S. Army, described his experience as a mentor. “My role as a DS/USA Mentor at the 2006 Endeavor Games gave me a new and inspiring perspective on how I can impact the lives of other people,” he said. “I wanted to reach out and provide Ariel [mentee] with motivation and strength and at the same time, Ariel inspired me with her determination and courage. The relationships the DS/USA Mentoring program will create are going to last and make a positive difference for everyone.”

Shannon Liker, Ariel’s mother, agreed. “You have made a difference in the lives of all of us, not just our kids,” she said.

The mentoring training sessions are provided by Partners for Youth with Disabilities (PYD), an organization committed to empowering young people with disabilities through mentoring programs that build skills for independent living and provide opportunities for community interaction.

DS/USA hopes that all nine chapters currently involved in the Disabled Sports USA Youth Sports Mentoring Program (UCO Disabled Sports & Events being one of them) are able to replicate the success of the Endeavor Games in the implementation of their mentoring efforts.

Currently, DS/USA is working with nine chapters in seven states, which have been selected to participate in this pilot year of the program. The chapters involved include Adaptive Adventures (Colorado), Adaptive Sports Center of Crested Butte (Colorado), National Ability Center (Utah), Common Ground Outdoor Adventures (Utah), Challenge New Mexico, UCO Disabled Sports & Events (Oklahoma), Adaptive Sports Foundation (New York), AbilityPLUS (New Hampshire), and Wintergreen Adaptive Skiing (Virginia).

Photos courtesy of Ken Watson