Sophomore Brian Pigford chases the soccer ball up and down the court trying his best to score a goal. The Detroit Lions stocking cap never leaves his head, even after beads of sweat form at his temple.
Between shouts of encouragement to his teammates, Pigford lunges for the ball, temporarily causing a delay in game. The action comes to a standstill as Pigford gets back into position while the others wait for "game on."
A pick-up game is in progress on Irving Gym's Main Floor, not too different from the one in Gym Two. If it were not for the large hot pink ball, constant metallic clink and faint burning smell as wheelchairs collide with one another; the game would appear to be played between able-bodied participants.
The world of adaptive recreation, defined as sports and activities adapted for participation by people with varying disabilities and their able-bodied counterparts, has increased on college campuses across the country since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law in 1990. Citing the health benefits of physical activity, administrators have pushed for diversity in programs to appeal to both disabled and able-bodied students.
Adaptive recreation has done more than make people healthier. For students with disabilities it has become a self-esteem builder and social outlet. For able-bodied students adaptive recreation has shown a change in societal expectations of what a wheelchair-assisted person can do. Even with clear benefits, administrators have been struggling to get students involved.
Larry Markle, assistant director of Disabled Student Development, said adaptive recreation is proving that, with some changes, anything is possible for students with disabilities.
"We do not want to waive a course credit or not try a program because it shows the student we are not willing to accommodate," Markle said. "It goes back to us thinking that students with disabilities can't do something, when they can with a few modifications."
Ball State had the beginnings of adaptive programs in 1987, three years before the ADA was passed, said Dr. Ron Davis, professor of physical education.
Students used to meet on Sunday nights and try to put together activities on their own. It started as a football league, but soon expanded to water, adult and kid programs.
Among the programs currently available at Ball State are Adapted Water Activity Venues for Everyone (AWAVE), Movement Opportunity Venues for Everyone (MOVE) and Thursday Night Recreation, a weekly sports and recreation program designed for both students with disabilities and able-bodied students.
Amanda Sule, graduate assistant of informal recreation and aquatics for Ball State Recreation Services, said the challenge in the programs is low participation.
"I'm ready for the time at Thursday Night Recreation that everyone comes and we don't have enough room for them," Sule said. "We offer soccer, football and basketball, but try to reach out to everyone even if they aren't a sports person with bowling and scavenger hunts. We want something for everyone, so no one has an excuse not to come."
Pigford, a paraplegic, needed no persuading to participate. Since enrolling at Ball State, he has attended Thursday Night Recreation weekly.
"I fell in love with it the first time I came," Pigford said. "Learning about other people's different injuries, it's inspiring to me ... people who can't move their arms but they're still playing. I love it."
A 2003 survey by graduate student Tamami Takahashi, found that of the nearly 500 students with disabilities at Ball State, 32 percent regularly participate in adaptive recreation programs to have fun, enjoy the interaction, exercise and keep good health.
While the statistics are on par with their able-bodied counterparts, to increase those numbers, universities like Wright State, Arizona State and the University of Illinois are implementing new programs that will appeal to all students.
Activities like whitewater rafting, canoeing, horseback riding for the visually impaired, skiing, table tennis and even mountain climbing have been popping up around the country in order to get more students involved. One way in which Ball State hopes to benefit able-bodied and disabled students is with the proposed inclusion of a rock-climbing wall.
"The wall would offer a lot of different venues for wheelchairs," Sule said. "It's a good upper-arm, upper-body strength workout. Plus, it's something different. They could try and see how high they could get, and they would have the strength from wheeling all the time."
Most important, Sule and Davis said, is that the wall would benefit all students and hopefully push toward integration in the programs.
"The programs are not perfect; they are still segregated," Davis said. "I would really like to see them out there doing the same things at the same time as able-bodied students."
Davis said the most important benefit to able-bodied students who participate in adaptive recreation is the ability to change their entire outlook on wheelchair-assisted people.
"Most people believe because you use a wheelchair you are mentally retarded, and that doesn't have anything to do with it," he said. "What happens when an able-bodied student participates in adaptive recreation is they begin to see the student with disabilities as a student and begin treating them like everyone else."
Some able-bodied students do participate in adaptive recreation. Sophomore Jared Gilbert said adaptive recreation has helped him in more than the physical sense.
"It helped me break out of my comfort zone a little bit," Gilbert said. "We aren't used to interacting with disabled students that closely for that long. It was awkward at first, but it's a lot of fun. I really like it."
Until a program effectively bridges the gap between students with and without disabilities, Pigford has a plan to get people involved.
"I'm a people person," said Pigford. "Give me enough time; I can expose it to everyone, one person at a time."
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