From wheelchairs basketball to adaptive track and field, Michigan is explaining what is possible in the athletics that includes the Inclusive Sports and Fitness Program.
Photos of UM’s Income Sports and Fitness Wheel Chair Basketball Games in Chrislner Arena in February. Photo Credit: Mark Gregor Camphaden
At Michigan University, Dr. Franmi Okanlami, known as “Doctor. O,” is on the mission of providing equal access to sports and fitness for people with disabilities. As the head of students’ leisure and housing services, the university is watching the Income Sports and Fitness.
Advocate’s personal journey
Dr. O’s journey to lead the program is deeply personal. Once a competitive player himself, Yale, the orthopedic surgery in Yale, changed his way after the spinal cord injury during the third year of residence. “Despite taking care of patients with disabilities, despite being a player my whole life, despite being the son of two physicians, I did not realize how inaccessible our world and health care system is,” he explained. “I began to see life from the other side of the stethoscope, as I described it.”
In Chicago, he was introduced for the first time during his recovery. He confessed, “I had never heard of it before.” This discovery incited his passion to ensure that people with disabilities have access to athletic opportunities.
Impact of Michigan’s Inclusive Games Program
Established in 2018, the Michigan Incolly Sports and Fitness Program has joined a multi -faceted move that serves students, teachers and members of the community equally. Dr. O explained, “In our view, there are a little participants from more than 60 participants, and not everyone who participates is a student.” “We have students’ players, we have staff who compete, we have members of the community who have no real affiliation with the university.”
The program includes four competitive teams: wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, wheelchair tennis, and adaptive track and field. The biggest name for adaptive sports, a team is part of a USA wheelchair Rugby Player, Chuck Aoki and one of the most decorated players in the game, and recently accepted a role as a team coach.
In addition, the program promotes local engagements by integrating adaptive sports into the school’s physical education curriculum. “Every sixth, seventh and eighth grade graders who take the PE in the N Arber Public Schools will have the opportunity to come out of the adaptive game, and now we are preparing to have our relationships with saline and dexter,” says Dr. O.
Inclusive games happen for everyone
One of the important philosophy of the program is that adaptive games are not just for people with disabilities. “If you are the only child of your community who is a wheelchair user, and we say that adaptive game should be only for wheelchair users, you can never go to play wheelchairs basketball, okay?” The doctor explains. “But if we show people that the game’s chair is no different from the ice skates or bicycle sets … anyone can use this device.”
By promoting joining, the Michigan program creates opportunities to compete with both disabled and disabled. He emphasized, “This is the emotions we are trying to describe.
Watch a one -minute video below to get the idea.
Beyond competition: a comprehensive view for fitness
Not everyone wants to play competitive games, and the Michigan program also confesses by offering adaptive fitness options. “Some people just want to go and lift weights or go for a run or do something to stay physically active,” said Dr. O. The program now features a power and conditioning coach that manages the adaptive fitness component and is working to launch a para -power lifting program.
The program also promotes “sports prescriptions”, a health system move that introduces adaptive sports for those who recover from injured or newly diagnosed disabilities. Doctors O’Se notes, “Many people live their lives all their lives, they do not know that they can still be players.”
Give Blue Day Fund Reserve
On March 19, the UM’s Encycloped Sports and Fitness Program is gaining support for Blue Day, which is a fundraiser that helps students empower, enhance access, and guide the future of adaptive sports. This year, donations will directly support the increasingly increasingly -rising adaptive track and field team, which requires additional goods and travel costs as well as two new track chairs (, 000 11,000). Funds provide athletes access to scholarships, travel and competitive fees, convenience fares, home events, costumes, and advanced equipment. They allow them to compete at a higher level, including the Para Olympic Games.
Can be donated online on March 19 https://maizraise.umich.edu/schools/unviewersityofmichigan/giving-blueday-2025/pages/student-life/asf/asf/?a=8467716
Made on adding a future
Michigan University is working to break the barriers and build the future where adaptive games are part of a wider athletic culture. “Two weeks ago, for the first time, we hosted another school and played a game for the first time in Chrysler,” Dr. O said, highlighting the progress of the program in bringing the exhibition to the Encyclopics.
As the program is growing, its message is clear: “Games, fitness and access should be available to everyone with or without disability.”
See https://www.umadAptivesports.com/ For more information.
Photos of UM’s Income Sports and Fitness Wheel Chair Basketball Games in Chrislner Arena in February. Photo Credit: Mark Gregor Camphaden
