History
The history of people with disabilities participating in sports is a long one that has left a large impact on athletes and the industry.
Dr. Ludwig Guttman opened a rehabilitation center in the Stoke Mandeville Hospital for World War II veterans in 1944. Dr. Guttman implemented his own forms of treating disabled veterans and he began rehabilitating them through sport.
On the opening day of the 1948 London Olympics, Dr. Guttman organized the Stoke Mandeville Games, where sixteen servicemen and women who were injured participated in an archery competition. This marked the first steps towards disabled athletes participating in sports at the Olympic level.
The first Paralympic Games took place in 1960, in Rome, Italy. Here, 209 athletes from 17 different countries participated in the games. The Italian team led with 29 gold medals and total medals.
Since those 1960 games, the Summer Paralympic Games have taken place every four years. The first Winter Games were in 1976, in Sweden; they have also taken place every four years since.
The next Paralympic Games are next winter in March 2026 in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy.
While it is clear that athletes with disabilities are able to participate in sports at the Olympic level, how accessible is it for athletes who wish to play at the collegiate level?
To address the lack of opportunity for athletes with disabilities at the collegiate level, in 2022, the NCAA, Office of Inclusion and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) created the Para-College Inclusion Project.
This collaboration brought several different sports to the college level, such as Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Tennis and Para Track and Field.
Currently, only 16 schools in the NCAA have a Para-College program, and no school in North Carolina is currently a participant. Schools like Auburn University, the University of Alabama, and Virginia Tech are a part of the few that offer these programs.
Athletes with disabilities have played at the professional level for years now, but there are limited opportunities for college athletes.
The different options for finding funding that the USOPC suggests include: school funding from disability resource offices or departments in the school, streamlining costs by borrowing equipment and finding grants and fundraising opportunities.
Steps to Bringing a Paralympic Program to Your Campus
To start a program at a University, there is a checklist from the UOSPC and the NCAA that coaches or students who are interested in building up a program must follow:
Find a Need and Locate Existing Organizations
See what adaptive or Para sports organizations already exist on campus, and if there is a need for them. Additionally, finding a group of students with disabilities who are interested in participating and finding departments within the school that would be interested in collaboration.
Check Outside Campus
Outside of the campus, find local organizations and competitions that already do exist.
Identify Which Programs Best Suit Your Campus
Take into consideration what facilities are available, the athlete’s interests, the distance from competitions and what funding is available.
Make Contact
Contacting your sport’s governing body. The USOPC and NCAA Para-College program currently only offers governing bodies for Paratriathlon, Para track and field, Wheelchair basketball, Wheelchair rugby and Wheelchair tennis. By contacting the governing body, you will be able to figure out your options for finances, playing rules, roster size and competitive opportunities.
Department
Lastly, figure out which department or organization the Para sport program will fall under. Whether at recreational sports, disability and accessibility services and varsity or club athletics, understanding the different options for financing a Para-College program is important.
