Quan Yin is the Goddess of compassion and mercy to Buddhists in East Asia. Her name means "observing the cries of the world." She is a "compassionate being who watches for, and responds to, the people in the world who cry out for help."
Below is a video of a dance called the "Thousand-Hand Guan Yin," which is part of China's Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe. They had their first debut as the closing ceremonies for the 2004 Paralympics. Each of these 21 dancers is COMPLETELY DEAF-MUTE!! They rely on signals from trainers at the four corners of the stage.
The choreographer, Zhang Jigang, described this as the ultimate message of this performance:
As long as you are kind and there is love in your heart
A thousand hands will naturally come to your aid
As long as you are kind and there is love in your heart
You will reach out with a thousand hands to help others
Just like the dancers who were part of the STEP IT UP contest, this troupe uses a dance to spread a message about helping your fellow man while reminding us that there are no limits to what you are capable of.
I've known about wheelchair basketball for a while, and folks have
written about it here on the YN blogs a few times in the past. It's
one of the most popular sports among American athletes with physical
disabilities, and with good reason. In addition to being a classic
All-American game, you can play basketball year-round, and most
importantly, you don't need any special equipment or facilities to get
started, so any basketball court will work.
But it wasn't until today that I learned about the next most popular sport for physically disabled athletes-- sled hockey.
Wheelchair basketball has existed at least since World War II (the
first organized games were between disabled American veterans), and its
popularity inspired a group of disabled Swedish hockey enthusiasts to
create an adaptation of ice hockey that they could play. It's never
been quite as popular as wheelchair basketball, probably because it
requires a certain amount of special equipment and facilities, but it's
still one of the fastest growing Paralympic Sports. Sledge hockey
involves all of the shoulder checks and high-speed play that make ice
hockey exciting to watch, but with the added bonus of watching people
pilot their sleds through tight turns and fast breaks, with a super-low
center of gravity so that they can really turn on a dimep.
It's super inspiring to see people who won't let anything get in their
way. If you're interested in learning more about sledge hockey, Sledge Hockey Dad
is a blog by an avid sledge hockey enthusiast with information on
equipment, techniques, and the culture of sledge hockey. Look back in
the archives and you'll find a pretty complete introduction to the
game. Watch out for sledge hockey at the 2010 Winter Paralympics in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia.
When a friend mentioned an interest in one day taking up fencing in the over-80 age category, it piqued my interest in a sport that I know very little about.
I found evidence of these rumored senior citizen fencers in Australia, where retired nuns and priests train and compete at the Corpus Christi Catholic Home in Melbourne. I gotta admit, I'm impressed by people who defy the image of athletics as a youthful endeavor for able-bodied people.
I found a short video segment by the New York Times covering paralympic fencers in Iraq. These admirable athletes must overcome obstacles of physical disability, nation-wide violence, political instability, poverty, and sub-par training facilities in order to fence. Really fascinating stuff...
Forget about Michael Phelps, my new favorite swimmer is Erin Popovich.
Since many of you might not recognize the name, let me fill you in on one heck of a swimmer.
Popovich recently took home four gold medals and two silver in swimming at the Paralympics. Sure that's quite a feat for any athlete, but I assure you there's more. She's brought home a total of 10 gold medals in the last two Paralympics, which actually brings her total to a whopping 14.
After you've digested that, she's also won a total of five silver medals in her three Paralympic appearances. So you see, while a guy like Michael Phelps deservedly gets a ton of attention for his success, there's often someone else we never get the privellage of hearing about.
I became a huge Phelps fan during the Olympics, and much in that same manner, I'm a huge fan of Erin Popovich!
According to Popvich, "To put school and swimming together and make it work and be successful in both—managing your life to fit both things—that was a challenge. I’ve looked into going into medical school—that’s definitely in the plans. There’s a lot of different things. I’m not quite sure what to do. But one thing’s definite: swimming. I have no thoughts of retiring."
Popovich has a form of dwarfism and competes against other child-sized athletes and swimmers with other disabilities. So while the Paralympics won't be seen on TV or in too many newspapers, the accomplishments shouldn't be seen in a lesser light, nor should the athletes, who are simply doing what they love!
In the end, I really hope this serves as an example of the importance of sports and play despite challenges that might get in the way. After all, everyone needs something to do, so why not play or get in shape.
It was the beginning of another year of high school in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Barbeque scents wafted through the air, and the cool onset of early autumn made for a cozy afternoon on the lawn. Across the field, I could see John and Tyler tossing a frisbee back and forth—a casual activity for a casual day.
But the casual game caught my attention and remained somewhere in my memory for years; it was the first time I had ever seen a person without legs playing a game of frisbee.
Tyler Walker—a student, athlete, and double-amputee from Franconia, New Hampshire—totally amazed me that day when I saw him literally running on his hands to catch the disc as it cut through the air. When the snow fell a few months later, I would often catch glimpses of Tyler running slalom courses from my bird’s eye view on the ski lift at Canon Mountain.
While cruising down the slopes on a monoski, Tyler demonstrates remarkable strength and agility on the mountain. Tyler has won many big ski competitions across the country. Two years ago, Tyler won the first ever monoski event at the X-Games (and won 2nd place at the X-Games last year). Before turning 17, Tyler received an invitation to join the U.S. Disabled Ski Team. He is currently training for the Paralympics in Vancouver in 2010.
Tyler also canoes, bikes, skateboards, and shakes it up with a variety of different sports. At the moment, he is preparing to graduate from UNH with degrees in Geography and International Affairs. Tyler is very active in the adaptive sports movement and has attended numerous events and conferences that address adaptive sports issues. Tyler is living proof that human beings—including those of us who happen to be differently-abled—are capable of accomplishing some truly incredible feats.
Tyler Walker
