NRPA is a proud partner of U.S. Paralympics, a division of the U.S. Olympic Committee. The two organizations have been working together for years in an effort to expand adaptive sport opportunities for youth, adults and veterans, and together, they have impacted thousands of lives by expanding sport opportunities for people with physical disabilities. Now, they’re shifting focus as part of a new initiative to identify prospective Paralympic athletes for future Games.

The Paralympic movement grew out of rehabilitation sport post-World War II. The first organized Paralympic Games took place in 1960 and featured 400 athletes with physical or visual disabilities from 23 countries. The most recent competition, the 2012 London Paralympic Games, featured more than 4,200 athletes from 165 countries. The U.S. team finished fourth overall in the medal standings with a total of 98. 

U.S. Paralympics’ goal moving forward is to go from fourth to first. But U.S. Paralympics can’t achieve that without increasing the number of athletes competing in Paralympic sports. By growing that number at all levels — developmental, intermediate and elite — the organization can ensure sustained performance into the future.

One way to do that is to host talent identification events: specific sport events for youth and adults with physical disabilities to put their skills to the test. Because park communities serve as the entry point, and many times, the first introduction to physical activity, organized play and team sports for thousands of kids and adults, this partnership is a natural fit. 

NRPA will host four of these future athlete identification events over the next year, all of which will take place at existing NRPA events in key markets and targeted sports. Park and recreation staff will evaluate participants’ abilities and skills, and those who meet certain standards will be invited to future competitions, camps and clinics where they will receive coaching support and expertise.

Find out more about this great partnership at the NRPA Congress in Houston, Texas, from October 8–10. U.S. Paralympics will be at the NRPA Partnership booth and the closing party for you to check out some sport talent identification demos firsthand.