DS Blog #11

Looking back on the first day of class, I thought I had a basic understanding of disabled sports, but after completing the course (almost!) I definitely did not! I never expected the level of complexity that disabled sports entails, especially when it came to things like classification. I had previously learned about the controversies with the Paralympic Games, but never in as much depth as I did throughout this class. I also had no idea that the Paralympics were so exclusive, since I truly believed they offered a total sense of inclusivity to athletes with disabilities. I also learned how difficult it is to meet classification standards, while still understanding the importance and necessity of classification, even if the current systems are not flawless.

I previously did see the value of sports for individuals with disabilities before taking this class, as I had some prior experience with my involvement in the Toms River Field of Dreams. I have seen firsthand how something as simple as playing on a playground can change an individual's life. I also had the opportunity to play on a unified sports team in the past, which originally sparked my interest in Disability Studies. As someone who is not an athlete and never had much interest in athletics, I was a little bit nervous when starting this course because of the obvious sports-heavy focus. But throughout my learning experience I was able to see that restrictions in disabled sports are just another barrier we have to break down. 

I was happy to learn about all of the progress that has been made in the field, and I have even tried to share the information I learned with others. The documentary about the Paralympics Games called “Rising Phoenix" on Netflix is one of my favorite documentary films I have ever watched. I loved it so much that right after I watched it my family just so happened to have a family movie night, and I chose to watch it again with all of them! My parents and siblings were astonished by watching the history of the Paralympic Games play out throughout the film, and I watched them fill with frustration when the movie described what happened at the Rio games when all of the Paralympic funding was cut. 

Overall I really enjoyed learning about disability in sports throughout the course of this semester. I intend to hold tight to the knowledge I’ve gained and to continue to be an advocate for a community I care so deeply about.