The Campus Recreation and Wellness Center held a day’s worth of specialized events, from rock wall climbing to wheelchair basketball, to help students with disabilities engage in fitness activities.
"The idea of Day at the Rec is to advertise its use for people with disabilities and to encourage them to use the Rec Center more regularly and join sports clubs," said Alan Russell, assistant director of the Center for Students with Disabilities. "It helps to break down barriers and helps students with disabilities develop social networks and increase fitness."††
Russell said availability is essential for students with disabilities.
"Students with disabilities look forward to using the Rec Center on a more regular basis," he said. "It’s important that the Rec Center advertises the facility to students with disabilities so they know it’s available."†
From adaptive swimming to wheelchair basketball with the Houston Challengers, the annual event, which began last year, offers a variety of events for students with disabilities.
Students from the CSD said it was an all-around rewarding experience for disabled students.
"It’s a wonderful opportunity to illustrate the awesome abilities that disabled students here at the University have," said Karl Hearne, president of the Disabled Students Association. "It allows us to engage in physical activity that is fun, meaningful and allows others to see that we value our abilities rather than our disabilities."
The experience with the rock wall alone was nothing less than inspirational for Hearne.
"Never in a million years did I ever imagine I would be climbing the wall here at the Rec Center. While I may not have yet reached the top, I am grateful for the opportunity to have conquered one more challenge," Hearne said.
Campus Recreation Interim Director Reginald Riley said the Rec Center strives to be suitable for all students.
"We’re here for UH students because it is their facility," Riley said.
