Not Different, But in Addition  

Athletes with a disability (AWADs) are first and foremost athletes, and for this reason, virtually everything in the able-bodied Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model is applicable. The able-bodied LTAD model and its resource paper, Canadian Sport for Life, should be the starting point for all athletes. No Accidental Champions is, therefore, only concerned with additional factors that need to be considered when working with AWADs.
 

An Introduction to LTAD  

Between 10% and 14% of Canadians have a disability and, for optimum health, it is critical that all Canadians, with or without a disability, fully engage in physical activity. Canadians with a disability who aspire to the highest levels of sport performance also need a sport system to help them achieve their goals. Canada's outstanding international success in Paralympic sport, Special Olympics, and other sport for AWADs is well known, but there is concern that Canada's pool of talented AWADs is aging and being depleted. Canada therefore needs to develop the next generation of AWADs to their fullest potential.  

For this reason, and to ensure the long-term health of its population, Canada is creating a LTAD model for AWADs.  

Canada's LTAD

Canada's homegrown LTAD model is described in detail in the LTAD Resource Paper, Canadian Sport for Life. The purpose of this supplementary document is to provide greater detail on how the LTAD process can be enhanced to meet the specific needs and goals of AWADs.  

Sport for individuals with a disability has grown tremendously over the last few decades. Nowadays, virtually any sport available to an able-bodied athlete can be pursued by a person with a disability at both the recreational and competitive levels.  

High performance competitive sport for AWADs is organized by a number of different organizations. In many cases, national sport organizations (NSOs) are the governing body for both able-bodied and disability sport while other NSOs, such as the Canadian Wheelchair Basketball Association, are responsible for a specific sport for AWADs. Some organizations are specific to a particular disability; for example, Special Olympics Canada deals with athletes with intellectual disability and the Canadian Deaf Sports Association is responsible for athletes who are deaf or have hearing impairment.  

At the world level, the International Paralympic Committee (lPC), an organization that parallels the International Olympic Committee, oversees the Paralympic Games, which are held in the same city as each Olympic Games, usually two to three weeks after their close. Special Olympics Incorporated is the international body that oversees the World Special Olympic Games, held on a four-year cycle, one year preceding the Olympic Games.  

The major Paralympic summer sports are archery, athletics, boccia, cycling, equestrian, football 5- and 7-a-Side, goalball, judo, powerlifting, rowing, sailing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, volleyball, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair fencing, wheelchair rugby, and wheelchair tennis. The major Paralympic winter sports are alpine skiing, ice sledge hockey, Nordic skiing, and wheelchair curling. Other sports such as bowls and wheelchair dance are recognized by the IPC, but are contested outside the Paralympic Games.  

The major Special Olympics summer sports are athletics, aquatics, 5 pin and tenpin bowling, football 5-a-Side, powerlifting, rhythmic gymnastics, softball. The major Special Olympics winter sports are alpine and Nordic skiing, curling, figure skating, floor hockey, snowshoeing, and speed skating.