Hello readers,
I’m making my way back after a brief hiatus from blogging. The last few months have been incredibly busy but that means I have a lot of great updates to share:
- The Ryan Martin Foundation (RMF)
- National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) postseason run by the New York Rolling Knicks
- Developing an adaptive sports program at the University of Connecticut (UConn)
- Jonathan’s Dream Reimagined
- “Athlete’s Corner” - a new feature highlighting RMF athletes sharing their story
As always, for questions or topics you would like to see in future blogs, feel free to reach out via social media on Instagram: @ryanmartin06; twitter: @ryanmartin06; or ryan@ryanmartinfoundation.org
-------------------------------
RMF Junior Team
In collaboration with the Hospital for Special Care, we just completed our second season with our junior team here in Connecticut. This season we brought in more athletes who got into sports chairs for the first time. We had our first game experience with a young group of kids and look forward to the future and recruiting new athletes into the program. At the start of the 2017-2018 season, we will have a varsity level and a prep team in the NWBA. The program has grown to include athletes from all over the northeast including New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York and Connecticut. Our RMF junior athletes are taking a break from basketball this spring as many of them will be competing in track and field leading up to our summer basketball camps. It’s hard to believe but this will be our 9th year of doing camps in Europe and the U.S.
This summer we will be holding camps in Spain, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Minnesota and New York. I’m extremely excited that our camps continue to grow each year. For more information, please go to www.ryanmartinfoundation.org
-------------------------------------
NY Rolling Knicks
The NWBA season has ended and what a whirlwind it was. Although the result wasn’t what we hoped for, it was a great season and one that will leave us as motivated as ever. We lost in the Championship in what is the most amazing game I have ever been a part of. Considering my squad was the team that came up short that says a lot. I want to say congrats to the Dallas Wheelchair Mavericks, who won the double overtime battle and seized the victory in the waning seconds. Simply put, my second place medal is in my gym bag, where it will stay, to always remind me of that game and give me that extra bit of motivation during each workout. Below is a link to the game. No words can do it justice. If ESPN covered adaptive sports at more than a token level, it would be an “instant classic” and replayed on ESPN Classic for years. Whether you’re a wheelchair basketball fan or have never seen the sport, this is a must watch. Congrats to the Mavs, a true dynasty up there with UCLA and UConn Women’s basketball.
http://www.nwba.org/news_article/show/776774?referrer_id=1941540
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HehXrnHNwBk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWh0ylpYA_s
Husky Adaptive
I was born and raised a Husky fan back when UConn was a small agricultural school, meaning, it wasn’t the center of the college basketball universe for men’s and women’s basketball. When it came time to make my decision of where to attend college, I wanted to stay close to home and have a chance to be a student athlete. But sadly, there was no collegiate wheelchair basketball programs in this part of the Northeast back then. Even worse, there still isn’t today. I hope to change that, and with the support of folks in the state of Connecticut and numerous friends from the Adaptive Sports community, it could be happening sooner than later. We are at the beginning stages of developing a program and are optimistic. With the support of the Husky Community and the state of Connecticut, we can build an elite-level program for student athletes with disabilities at UConn. For more information on how to be involved, contact Mike Willie on Twitter @ADMikeWillie or follow the growth of the program on Instagram and/or Twitter @huskyadapted
Jonathan’s Dream Re-imagined
The original Jonathon’s Dream was a playground inspired by the Barzach family of West Hartford, Connecticut. This playground was built in 1996 as the first “Boundless Playground”, an inclusive and accessible play space for families and children of all abilities. The new Jonathon’s Dream, in collaboration with Kevin’s Kourt, will extend this legacy with an engaging playground and basketball court that keeps children of all ages and abilities active and moving.
Athletes Corner with… Hennessy Hernandez
Hennessy Hernandez is a 14 year old freshman who attends Naugatuck High School. Her favorite subject is math and her favorite sport is wheelchair basketball. She likes playing defense and meeting new teammates. Hennessy hopes to be either a veterinarian or an actress when she grows up.
Athletes Corner with… Hennessy Hernandez
Hennessy Hernandez is a 14 year old freshman who attends Naugatuck High School. Her favorite subject is math and her favorite sport is wheelchair basketball. She likes playing defense and meeting new teammates. Hennessy hopes to be either a veterinarian or an actress when she grows up.
Thanks for your continued support of this blog and the Ryan Martin Foundation.
Regards!