Sports Group, Inc.

How To Find A Job Coaching Mentally Disabled Sports

admin — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

If you are looking for a job coaching mentally disabled athletes, you will have to take a few things into consideration. You will have to find several cities that have these kinds of teams and communicate with as many people as you can as networking is a great way to find jobs. Though this is obviously a paid job, it is often also looked at as community service and it is definitely a good idea to want to help these children out. If you are not able to make connections and network with certain people, you will then have to go on the internet and find as many possible websites that will provide you with the possible openings. There are usually plenty of openings when it comes to coaching mentally disabled athletes and you will definitely be able to find one. Take your time when choosing a job because you will have to ensure that you are able to be there at all time and that you will be able to dedicate your time and attention to the team because you will have a lot of responsibility as the head coach. Keep looking and you will definitely find a job soon.

Mentally Disabled Sports Programs Are Limited In Number

admin — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Individuals with intellectual disabilities face many challenges when seeking sports programs. Although there are some national programs for athletes with mental disabilities, those in less-populated areas or who play less common sports may have few options for organized sports.

Typical children and adults can choose among many sports teams and athletic programs offered through schools, towns or community organizations. Athletes with mental disabilities have far fewer choices. The population is relatively small so it is difficult to find a group of athletes with similar ability and similar interests in one place.

To get involved in the sport they enjoy, athletes with mental disabilities may have to commit to a team that practices and competes far from home. They may have trouble getting to practices and competitions because they need rides or use public transportation. If practices and games are held far from home, athletes may not be able to participate consistently.

Local sports programs for athletes with mental disabilities are scarce in many areas. Athletes who cannot find a sports team in their local area might consider an individual sport like swimming or golf. They might also try an intramural sports league with the support of a friend or family member.

Why A Person Should Sponsor Mentally Handicapped Sports

admin — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

When it comes to sports, most people realize that it is a great way for children to get out of the house and actually live active lives. Sports are literally for anyone and even for those who are injured or mentally handicapped. Though these children might have some difficulties living normal lives, they still strive to play sports and compete with all their heart. The best way to encourage more people to watch and participate in these types of sports is by sponsoring them financially as most of these organizations would love to have donations. Do not hesitate to help these kids live normal lives and at the same time play these sports. Whether it is basketball, football or golf, these children give all they can to do the sports and these games are actually very entertaining to watch. I have been watching the special Olympics for quite some time now and I must admit that these children are very active and definitely are competitive. Though these children might be mentally handicapped, they are definitely full of heart and enthusiasm. I am a proud sponsor of these sports and I believe that you too should consider helping these kids achieve their dreams.

Encouraging Your Child’s Love of Sports

admin — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Whether your disabled child likes to watch hours of nfl sports channel on end or they’d rather be out in the yard playing games with their friends there are a few ways you can encourage their love for sports. Here are our suggestions for sports and the life of your disabled child:
Get them in a league: If your child likes to actually participate in sports, get them in a low-competition, easy impact sports league. Some great options are soccer and softball since they’re heavily team based but make sure you talk with the coach thoroughly before sign up.
Pick a Team: Work with your child to pick a favorite sports team in the area or state then encourage them to become super fans. Decorate their room in team colors and take them to live games, if possible.
Work on Motor Skills: Depending on your child’s ability, work with them on motor skills related to their favorite sport. If they love baseball, work on catching and throwing if it’s bowling, take them to the lanes for a fun afternoon.

Coaching For The Mentally Disabled Can Be Trying

admin — Tue, 03 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000

If there is one thing has improved over the last several decades for the mentally disabled is that there are more extra curricular programs geared for them. This can be attributed to programs such as the Special Olympics where they stress that just because a person may be disabled and have a handicap, it does not mean that they cannot participate. It is beneficial for them as it helps there spiritual health and gives them a sense of being. Coaches for the mentally handicapped are few and far between and one thing that they can tell you is that not anyone can do the job. The can tell you that coaching for the mentally disabled can be trying.

The first thing is the obvious handicap. A coach needs to know how to steer around it and make sure that all of the folks that they are coaching are having fun and most importantly that everyone participates. As far as the coach goes, they need to have patience. With the mentally disabled, the values of fun and teamwork is the most important thing. While the coach needs to show physical skills, they also need to instill values. The trying part is simply making sure that the disabled have fun while they are participating.

Mentally Disabled Athletes Require Special Coaching

admin — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

When it comes to coaching athletes with mental disabilities there are some different ways to extract better results from your athletes.

First of all, mental disabilities doesn’t mean that the athlete isn’t intelligent.
Also, these athletes are more apt to be harder on themselves than any coach could ever be.

The first thing that must happen is to develop a trusting relationship with the athlete.

Encouragement to keep trying to overcome personal failures is essential, as well as praise for a job well done.

These athletes have most likely suffered some form of stigmatism from the general population, and may have a hard time believing they can participate in sporting activities because they have been told they cannot possibly succeed in the sport they wish to attempt.

It will be most effective to focus on one performance correction at a time, give positive reinforcement when applicable, and give consistant instructions on how to improve.

Be patient, it may take some more instuction time before the athlete ‘gets it’, but the rewards will be worth the extra effort, and in fact may surprise you with the results they achieve.

finding a training partner that has the same or a similar disablity may benifit the athlete as well.

Tips For Dealing With Mentally Disabled Athletes

admin — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The world of sports is challenging and competitive, requiring every athlete to train to be the best they can be. There are many different types of personalities and characteristics in today’s sports. Each athlete has their strengths and weaknesses, making them unique in their own way. Whether you are an athlete trainer, coach, or supporter, you must be able to recognize the player’s qualities and be supportive in every way that you can. This can be particularly true when dealing with mentally disabled athletes. The thing you should always remember is that the mentally disabled person has feelings just like you and I. You should never be condescending when speaking to them and always encourage them to be their best. Understanding and patience is the key to developing a good relationship with a mentally challenged athlete. Realize that it may take them additional time to accomplish their goals. Be sure to praise them well when they achieve a goal. Support them and encourage them to be their best. Allow them to have fun because that is what they are in it for. Competition is a big part of sports but for some, it is the fun of playing the game.

2011 IPC World Championships Go Down in New Zealand

www.sportsgroupinc.com — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The 2012 London Paralympic Games may still seem like it’s a ways away, but competition for the highly anticipated event is already underway around the world, with late January marking the 2011 International Paralympics Committee World Championships. This year’s event took the stage outside of its usual European comfort zone, debuting south of the equator for the first time, held in Christchurch, New Zealand. Featuring more than 1,000 aspiring paralympians, the IPC World Championships serves not only as one of the premier showcases of Paralympic talent, but as a qualifier for the grandest stage in disability sport.Fans were treated to see some of the biggest stars on display, including Oscar “The Blade Runner” Pistorius, of South Africa, a three time Gold Medalist at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing. Taking his nickname from the flat metal prosthetics he wears on both legs. Born without fibula, Pistorious had both legs amputated below the knee at just 11 months old. Taking up running after a knee injury that derailed his wrestling ambitions, Pistorius has built his reputation on succeeding in the face of adversity. Of course, at this point success seems to come as second nature, striking to an early Gold in the World Championships, running away with the 200-meter final.On a team level, arguably the most impressive performance has come from the Chinese athletes, compiling an impressive lead in the medal count. It remains to be seen whether such momentum will carry over to the 2012 Paralympics, though based on 2008, one would expect to see a strong showing. Boasting the home field advantage in 2008, China tallied an astronomical 211 medals, including 89 Gold Medals. By comparison, Great Britain finished second in terms of total medals and golds, with 102 and 42, respectively.

Swinging in the Dark

www.sportsgroupinc.com — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 13:13:09 +0000

Golf is among the most frustrating games to ever grace the wide world of athletic competition, but on greens across the world walk athletes who play an even harder version sport, making their success not only remarkable but inspirational. The first recorded round of Blind Golf occurred in 1925, when Clint Russell, a Duluth, Minnesota native, teed it up for the first time after losing his sight in an exploding tire accident. By the early 1930′s, Clint Russell managed to gradually improve his scores, recording rounds as low as 84 over 18 holes, as Blind Golf was born.Blind Golf is remarkably similar to standard sighted golf, with the only major difference being the additional of coaches. Blind Golf coaches are much like caddies in that they advise club selection and distance, but obviously go into further detail, serving as the golfer’s eyes by describing the physical characteristics of the hole and ball’s lie. Before the stroke, the coach will place the player’s club head behind the ball, but from there on the outcome hinges on a golfer’s swing consistency and talent. As far as scoring goes, only one minor change is made to accommodate blind golfers, with no penalty being assessed for the grounding of a club in a hazard. The rule change makes obvious sense as visually impaired players have little way of knowing precisely where the ball meets the sand or grass.Competition in Blind Golf is divided into the following 3 categories, consistent with the standards for blind athletics, varying by a participant’s sight capabilities:

B1 for indiviuals with no light perception in either eye or extremely limited light perception but the inability to recognize the shape of a hand at any distance or direction.
B2 for individuals with the ability to recognize the shape of a hand up to a visual acuity of 2/60 and/or a visual field of <5 degrees.
B3 for individuals with visual acuity between 2/60 and 6/60 and/or a visual field between 5 and 20 degrees.

Blind Golf rules and categorization methods are revised every 4 years by the International Blind Golf Association in order to preserve fair competition and stay current with actively changing needs of blind golfers.

Extreme-ly Impressive Athletes

www.sportsgroupinc.com — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 13:12:24 +0000

If you are a fan of the X games, be sure to check out the Ex-games, the Extremity Games in the spirit of full disclosure. Not only is it a clever play on words, the Extremity games feature athletes who enjoy taking their talent to the very brink of safety and possibility. The Extremity Games allow competitors with amputations and limb differences to test their abilities at extreme sports against fellow competitors in a format much like X-games. Athletes compete for medals across a variety of events, with winners taking home gold, silver and bronze medals, as well as money and other prizes.Compared to more nationally publicized events like the Paralympics and Special Olympics, the Ex-games are still relatively new on the disabled sports scene, first held in Orlando in 2006. The Extremity Games were founded by College Park Industries, a company dedicated to the manufacture of prosthetic limbs, taking time to realize that their clients physical limitations should not preclude them defying gravity. Of course, it can be tough to learn some of the complex tricks extreme sports require, particularly difficult without a fully functional limb. For this reason, the Extremity Games offer more than merely a showcase for athletic competition, also serving as a learning ground for those interested in taking up a sport. Complete with instructional clinics conducted by trained professionals, the Ex-Games are a must attend for any aspiring extremity-extreme athlete who simply doesn’t know how to get started.The Extremity Games are held once a year, with a competitive lineup that spans BMX, Kayaking, Moto Cross, Mountain Biking, Rock Climbing, Skateboarding, Surfing and Wakeboarding.