Future of Indoor Wheelchair Soccer in Spotlight at Jr. Nationals

Atlanta, February 5, 2004—The future of indoor wheelchair soccer was clear at the 2nd Annual AAASP/NDSA Indoor Wheelchair Soccer Jr. Nationals (formerly the IWS Coast to Coast Jr. Nationals) in San Diego on January 16-18. Seven youth teams from Georgia and California put on a competitive and fast-paced performance in pursuit of national titles in varsity and junior varsity divisions over the three-day weekend.

For the first time, the Jr. Nationals, an event sanctioned by the American Association of AdaptedSports™ Programs (AAASP), was held in conjunction with the adult IWS National Championship, sanctioned by the National Disability Sports Alliance (NDSA). AAASP and the NDSA plan to continue a combined tournament format as part of a growth strategy for the sport of indoor wheelchair soccer.

“AAASP and NDSA have created a formal partnership to grow this sport. What is so exciting is that we have people working to cover the full spectrum from juniors to adults,” said NDSA Senior Project Manager Kim Kelly. “We can provide athletes the opportunity to participate in an AAASP-structured junior program and educate them about the sport and teach them the necessary skills. From there we can provide them with a bridge to moving into the adult version of the sport by participating on adult teams.”

This year, the San Diego Hammer scored a 10-8 victory in the varsity championship in a competitive match-up with Georgia’s Clayton Eagles, the 2002 varsity champions. The West Georgia Wolverines defeated the San Diego Hammer I, 8-6 for the junior varsity championship title.

Most Valuable Player honors went to varsity player Ryan Prioleau of the Clayton Eagles and junior varsity player Matthew Golembeski of the San Diego Hammer I.

AAASP, NDSA, & Project ASPIRE
AAASP and the NDSA are Project ASPIRE partners committed to elevating the quality and quantity of athletic opportunities in indoor wheelchair soccer, and other disability sports, throughout the United States.

The vision of Project ASPIRE is to promote and solidify amateur adapted athletics by laying the national groundwork that will put the power of athletic competition within reach of more than one million American youth with physical disabilities or visual impairments.

Together, the Project ASPIRE partners are helping to make youth adapted sports a more common activity and familiar aspect of American society.

For more information about Project ASPIRE, contact AAASP at www.aaasp.org, www.projectaspire.org, 404/294-0070, or email Project ASPIRE at projectaspire@aaasp.org.

Media Contacts:
Sarah Nash
Director of Communication
American Association of AdaptedSports™ Programs
404-294-0070
nashcom@bellsouth.net
www.aaasp.org

Janice Halpern
National Disability Sports Alliance
C/o Classic Communications
508-698-6810
classic.pr@verizon.net
www.ndsaonline.org

      ©2004 ILRU Program. All rights reserved.