The National Veterans Wheelchair Games challenge Veterans to excel in sports and competitions, but the slalom wheelchair course prepares them for real life activities.
The wheelchair slalom course began as a simple obstacle course at VA hospitals to help Veterans practice on uneasy terrain. But this recreational therapy tool soon took on a life as its own as a competition.
The slalom wheelchair course quickly found a place at the games as one of the most beloved events.
VA recreational therapists love it, too. The hardest part of rehabilitation is often the inherent motivation to put in the time and practice, like any sport.
Veterans “really enjoy doing it,” said Will Haven, a Tampa, Florida VAMC physical therapist. “It gives them more confidence in the chair. We have a course at the Tampa, Fla., VA and it has really been fun for them.”
This is U.S. Army Veteran Joel Rodriguez’s first time to the National Veteran Wheelchair Games and he has been excited to compete in the slalom.
Haven is Rodriguez’s VA recreational therapist. They work together to prepare for the event both before and on the day of the competition.
As Rodriguez entered the queue, Haven could be heard giving him last minute advice on the obstacles. The crowd loudly cheers the Veteran navigates the course, cheers that are well-deserved for the effort shown by each of the competitors.
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Veterans and volunteers interested in registering online for the 43rd National Veterans Wheelchair Games (NVWG) can do so now through April 5, 2024.
Last year, Move United hosted 26 adaptive sports competitions in 22 states for 1,537 individual athletes. This year, that number is increasing to 35 events in 24 states for even more Veteran athletes.
Registration for the National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic (NVSSC) opens on Dec. 1, 2023, and runs through March 1, 2024. The 2024 NVSSC will take place August 25-30 in San Diego, California, offering an extended opportunity for Veterans to partake in adaptive sports.