Pitt Partnering to Create Adaptive Sports Network
PITTSBURGH—More than 40 individuals representing more than two dozen groups will meet to establish a sports and fitness consortium dedicated to adaptive sports—sports for individuals with disabilities—at 7 p.m. June 12 in the Campus View Club in the Petersen Events Center.
The Pittsburgh Adaptive Sports Network, spearheaded by Jason Miller, assistant director of intramurals at the University of Pittsburgh, and Larry Gioia, founder of Dynamic Paddlers, will create networking opportunities and raise awareness among organizers of adaptive sports in Southwestern Pennsylvania.
“After
numerous conversations with the broader community, we identified the need for a more structured means to ‘connect the dots’ between all of the adaptive sports and recreation initiatives currently underway in our region,” said Miller. “We believe that if we can provide a structured outlet to learn, share, and grow together, we can have an even greater impact on the community and the individuals of all abilities that we all aim to serve.”
Featured guests at the meeting will be Dan McCoy and Ashli Molinero. McCoy, a Pitt student, earned a gold medal as a member of the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team that won at the Sochi Paralympic Games in March. Molinero, an assistant professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology in Pitt’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, is an avid hand cyclist and has completed the Pittsburgh, New York, Los Angeles, and Gettysburg marathons, finishing in third place for women in both the NYC and LA marathons.
The Pittsburgh Adaptive Sports Network is also being facilitated with the help of Marilyn Ross, director of Pitt Intramurals and Recreation, and Sam Vescovi, recreational sports coordinator at Pitt, along with other sports and recreation professionals tied to the adaptive sports community.
Individuals representing adaptive sports groups can attend by contacting Miller at jtm@pitt.edu or by phone at 412-624-8971.
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