Athletes

Who are America’s Athletes?  America’s Athletes are athletes with physical disabilities.  They are athletes who are blind or vision impaired, athletes who are deaf or hearing impaired, athletes who use wheelchairs or prosthetic devices, athletes with cerebral palsy, or athletes who are dwarf or short in stature.

They are athletes who have some type of physical disability that prevents or impedes their ability to participate and compete in sports and other activities available to non disabled athletes. 

It should be noted that America’s Athletes generally do not participate in the Special Olympics.  Special Olympics are for athletes who are primarily developmentally disabled whereas America’s Athletes are primarily for athletes who have a physical disability.  The Olympics are for athletes who do not have a disability.  First and foremost, an athlete is an athlete!

America’s Athletes are able to participate as a result of changes or modifications in the rules and/or the type of adaptive equipment used in a sport.  For instance, wheelchair athletes run the 100 meters in a wheelchair instead of using their legs.  Blind athletes play goal ball using a ball with a listening device (beeping) in the ball so they can tell where the ball is by hearing it instead of seeing it.  Deaf athletes use a light flashing instead of a gun when starting a race.  Athletes with cerebral palsy use electric wheelchairs to play hockey instead of their legs. 

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