Carlow Disability Sports Club seeks new members
Wheelchair sports clubs from across Ireland pictured at an IWA-Sport competition earlier this year
Local disability sports club, under Junior South East Swifts has launched a recruitment campaign for new members aged 5+ years and is calling on parents of young people with physical disabilities to get into wheelchair and para sports this winter.
Junior South East Swifts and IWA-Sport hope to recruit new members to kick off the new season. The Wheelchair Basketball club welcomes young people with physical disabilities from across Kilkenny, Carlow, Waterford and Wexford.
The club meets weekly with a variety of teams, activities, and social events each season.
Monday - Wheelchair Basketball 6-7pm Presentation College, Askea, Carlow.
Naoise Reddy (10) is an enthusiastic member of Junior South East Swifts and her mother Tracy Reddy says sport has had a hugely positive impact on her daughter, “Sport is important for everybody, especially those with a physical disability. It is essential to be active and Junior South East Swifts has given us the opportunity to take part in team sports and to be an equal member of the team,” explained Tracy.
"I Iove going to Wheelchair Basketball and getting better every week,” says Naoise. “I have made friends there, I love being fast around the hall in my chair.”
Junior South West Swifts is one of 19 clubs for people with physical disabilities across Ireland, who are affiliated with IWA-Sport. The club is open for new members aged 5+ with members continuing through to adult teams.
“We know that sports help children’s self-esteem, emotional functioning, strength, mobility and physical health,” says Paul Ryan, IWA-Sport's National Operations Manager.
“Sport is also important to help prevent health issues like diabetes and high blood pressure. We know sport and games are an important part of every child’s development and children with disabilities are no different.” “IWA-Sports clubs work across Ireland linking in with local HSE services and sports partnerships to support children with disabilities and their families to get involved locally with sport. We know the benefits for young children are tremendous, and they have loads of fun too. We hope to encourage more parents of children with disabilities in the south east to get in touch and get involved,” says Paul Ryan, IWA-Sport.
To learn more about Junior South East Swifts contact local volunteer Avril 086 191 5204 or sign up to www.iwa.ie/sport/join
