New Brunswick students experience the thrill of para sports
The reaction from students is always the same when Jim Watters arrives at a New Brunswick school with para sport equipment loaned by Ability New Brunswick.
“They’re always very excited when the equipment arrives, and then they hate to see it go,” he says. “It’s been a big hit with our schools, with our students, and with our physical education teachers. Kids love using the equipment.”
Jim is a physical education and wellness mentor for the Anglophone North School District, which encompasses English schools from Rexton to Campbellton.
In that role, he delivers the sports gear from Para New Brunswick’s equipment loan service through Ability New Brunswick, including multi-sport wheelchairs (used for basketball and handball), handcycles (a bike powered by hand), and indoor sledge hockey equipment.
The equipment is typically used by middle and high school students, as well as some younger students.
In Jim’s experience, the para sport equipment helps shed some of the stigma around disabilities. It also gives students without a disability a fresh perspective on the challenges facing those with a disability.
“We try to get them to see it from the other side – of somebody with a disability,” he explains.
“The message is that people with a disability can participate in numerous physical activities. The students also experience some of the difficulties that people with a disability may face in participating in those same activities, which persons without a disability sometimes take for granted.”
The equipment is often used during physical education classes. Schools have held relay races, handball matches, and competitions between students and teachers.
Ability New Brunswick has been loaning equipment to schools for more than 11 years, with thousands of students getting to experience para sports. Many students have used the equipment more than once. “We’ve been using the shared equipment program to get it into as many of our schools as we possibly can,” he says. “It’s been nothing but positive feedback – from schools, administration, teachers, and students. Ability New Brunswick is great to work with. You sign it out, it’s free, and it’s such a benefit to the students in our schools.”
Teddy’s story: Loving summer camp
Seven-year-old Teddy Randall of Fredericton loves to zoom around in his wheelchair, especially at big stores like Costco where the wide aisles provide lots of room to manoeuvre.
Teddy, who lives with cerebral palsy, also loves summer camp. He and his mother, Jacqueline, are excited about the prospect of a summer camp experience this year where he will be able to use an all-terrain wheelchair called the Hippocampe.
Ability New Brunswick, through the Para NB equipment loan service, was able to lend Teddy a Hippocampe last summer.
Jacqueline says it made a huge difference in Teddy’s enjoyment of the outdoors and the overall camp experience.
“It’s wonderful,” Jacqueline says. “He can go into the water with it and it moves easily over rough terrain – places a regular wheelchair can’t go. So beaches, hiking trails, swimming areas – it makes a huge difference.”
Jacqueline says without Ability New Brunswick, Teddy would not have access to the expensive equipment. The Hippocampe costs more than $7,600.
“With the help of Ability New Brunswick, Teddy can have the same kind of fun as other kids,” she says. “It’s something we really appreciate in our family.”
Anik’s Story: Sharing the magic of para sports
Six years ago, Anik Gautreau embraced an idea from the mom of two of her sixth grade students. It turned out to be an idea that transformed lives.
The mom, Cary Beaumont, has twin boys, Ben and Daniel. Ben has a mobility disability and Cary knew about an opportunity for schools to borrow para sport equipment. She thought the program could benefit Ben and his schoolmates.
Anik, who was the boys’ physical education teacher at Riverview Middle School in Riverview, looked into it and discovered Para New Brunswick’s equipment loan service, which is run by Ability New Brunswick. At the time, Anik had no idea how powerful that discovery would turn out to be.
Thanks to the program, Ben and Daniel discovered wheelchair basketball. In February 2023, the brothers took part in the wheelchair basketball competition at the Canada Winter Games in P.E.I.
“The Canada Games experience was amazing. They loved it. We loved it,” Cary says. “To be able to play sport when you’ve never been able to is mind blowing. It’s a really big deal for Ben.”
As well, Anik has incorporated other para sports – including sledge hockey, goalball, wheelchair ultimate frisbee, and sitting volleyball – into her curriculum ever since. “The kids love para sports. They’ll ask for them again and again. And it’s great because the students are able to experience the world through a different lens. It really gives them a new perspective,” she explains.
“And Para New Brunswick is amazing. They make it very easy for teachers to use the equipment. They bring it to your school, and they’ll show you how to use it. And then they come and pick it up at the end. It’s pretty special.”
Many students discover they really enjoy these new sports. Some have signed up to play wheelchair basketball, which is helpful because athletes without a disability are needed to help fill out the ranks.
“Ben and Daniel were in Grade 6 when they tried wheelchair basketball for the first time and now they just went to the Canada Games,” Anik says. “When I saw that they were there, I became emotional. It’s pretty special to know how it started and to see where it’s going.”
And the story continues: Ben and Daniel’s eight-year-old brother, Hoyt, watched his older siblings play in P.E.I. and is determined to join them at the next Canada Winter Games on Team New Brunswick.
“The boys are so excited for what comes after this.”
Claire’s story: the freedom to explore
On a hot summer day, you might find Claire McCloskey at Wilmot Park in Fredericton, cooling off in the splash pad and smiling as a bucket of water pours down on her from above.
Eleven-year-old Claire accesses the splash pad using her Hippocampe, an all-terrain wheelchair loaned to her for most of the year through Ability New Brunswick and its Para New Brunswick’s equipment loan service.
For Claire, the Hippocampe has widened her world, allowing her to explore and experience areas she couldn’t normally access with her wheelchair.
“They are a really, really expensive piece of equipment. We wouldn’t necessarily be able to go buy one ourselves. For her to be able to borrow one and do things that she couldn’t normally do is definitely huge for her,” says Claire’s mom, Annie Martin. “She loves the splash pad and wouldn’t be able to use it without the Hippocampe. So she’s able to do things that other kids are doing, and we don’t have to worry about barriers because we’re able to borrow that equipment.
The Hippocampe, which has three wheels, can also be adapted with skis for use on snow in winter, as well as wheels designed for trails and sand. A few years ago, during a family trip to P.E.I, Claire used the Hippocampe at a beach on a day when inviting waves were breaking on shore. The Hippocampe allowed her to move out into the water, with the waves pushing her back in.
“She loved that,” Annie remembers. “When she’s having fun, she’s always got a big smile on or she’s letting out little giggles. You can tell she really enjoys it.”
Krista’s story: Helping youth gain new freedom
As an occupational therapist, Krista Fraser strives to use activity to better her clients’ independence and help teach new skills.
For clients who use wheelchairs, it can be a challenge to find meaningful, outdoor activities they can participate in.
“It’s a tricky problem to solve,” says Krista, who runs the private Little Ones Therapy clinic in Fredericton.
She discovered one solution in Para New Brunswick’s equipment loan service, which is run by Ability New Brunswick.
For example, Krista has used Hippocampes borrowed through the program to help two Sussex high school students join in outdoor activities. Hippocampes are all-terrain wheelchairs that can be adapted for use on beaches and even snow, using ski attachments.
“She loves it,” Krista says of one client, a girl in Grade 9. “She loves the ability that it gives her to get out in the snow with her peers in her outdoor pursuits class. She can follow the class routine, and participate in all of the activities.”
That student has also benefited from a sledge loaned through the program, which allows her to go skating with her class and family.
Another student has used a Hippocampe to take part in a project involving the Kennebecasis Valley watershed, giving him the ability to visit the trails and riverbed around the school property.
“It allowed him to participate in his co-op education course, which he wouldn’t have been able to before,” Krista explains.
“It’s a very expensive piece of equipment and no government funding agency is going to purchase that because it’s used primarily for recreation, not to meet a basic medical need. Without being able to borrow the equipment, these young people wouldn’t have the same opportunities. We are grateful to Ability New Brunswick and this loan program.”
It’s a resource she hopes other private occupational therapists will discover and use to aid other young clients.
“It’s really important that they’re participating with their peers. That’s their primary objective: to be with their friends and be able to do the same activities, even if they have to do them a little bit differently.”
Susan’s story: Enjoying the new trail
Susan Cassidy loves getting out in the mild weather.
A new trail in her community of Hanwell, just outside of Fredericton, is making it easier for her and others with a mobility disability to enjoy a walk in nature.
Ms. Cassidy, a former mayor of Hanwell, has a spinal condition and uses a walker to provide stability and make walking easier.
A newly opened section of the roughly five-kilometre trail in Hanwell has been surfaced with a special rubber compound that is both easy to move on and remarkably safe if someone takes a spill.
“It makes it easy not just for people like myself with mobility issues but also for people with children in strollers and carriages,” she says of the new trail section, which is roughly two-thirds of a kilometre.
“I think many people see it as an advantage to have a fully accessible, outdoor walking area. I think it’s wonderful.”
Ms. Cassidy also enjoys the Trekfit Benchfit exercise circuit that have been strategically placed in the area. She says the benches can be used for resting but they are part of an exercise circuit that provides instruction panels for various levels of individual exercise.
The trail section, which opened in September, was made possible by a $300,000 grant from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA).
Ability New Brunswick conducted a free accessibility review of the trail plan before it was built, a service it offers through its Para New Brunswick program for sport and recreation facilities, parks, playgrounds, trails, beaches, schools, churches, and more to promote a truly inclusive environment for persons with a mobility disability.
It is part of the community’s plan to make local buildings and recreational areas accessible to all.
Terri Parker, the clerk-treasurer of Hanwell, says community officials are hoping the Hanwell facilities will receive a gold designation from the Rick Hansen Foundation.
“We have a great opportunity while we are building to make sure we are completely accessible,” Ms. Parker says. “It’s so much easier to do it from the beginning than trying to do it later.”
Thomas’s story: The freedom to roam – and have fun
Twelve-year-old Thomas LeBlanc has a zest for life, and loves having fun – especially on his bike.
His developmental disability he has had since birth may have slowed him down but it has never brought him down, his mother, Janny LeBlanc, says from the family home in Shemogue in southeastern New Brunswick.
Thomas is happy, has a great sense of humour and almost always has a bright smile on his face.
At school, he gets a helping hand from physiotherapist Josee Daigle, who steadies and safeguards him as he walks and as he rides a specially equipped tricycle acquired for him through Ability New Brunswick.
Ability New Brunswick was not only able to get him the bike through its Para NB program but also helped Tom and his family by working with and arranging for help from professionals like Josee.
“What we want to do is improve the quality of life for people like Thomas who have a disability,” Josee says. “We also want to prevent their disability from getting worse.” Josee says it is very rewarding work and there is never a day when she doesn’t have a smile on her face.
“Thomas has a great personality. He wants to have fun and he doesn’t take things too seriously.”
Josee says Ability New Brunswick is a tremendous help in her work with children. She says the adaptive sports equipment provided to kids like Thomas allow them to participate in sports and get the exercise they need to improve their overall health and strength.
“The adaptive equipment offered through Ability New Brunswick means kids with a disability are not limited in sporting activities,” she says. “It means they don’t have to be just spectators – all of a sudden, riding a bike is safe enough for them to do. It is very rewarding.”
Having the trike at his school in Cap-Pelé allows Thomas the freedom to get around the halls and to have fun with the other youth.
“He loves to go on the tricycle,” Janny says. “He’s happiest when they let him loose to ride around the gym.”
Joey’s story: fit at 40 thanks to new equipment.
Turning 40 is a milestone event for many, but it was especially so for Joey Morin.
Joey has cerebral palsy and finding a way to get enough exercise to keep in shape has been a struggle.
He has experience playing the precision ball game, boccia, along with some wheelchair rugby but as he neared the 40-year mark, Joey noticed the telltale signs of middle-age spread.
“I weighed close to 200 pounds,” the Edmundston man says of his old weight. “Now, I have lost almost 50 pounds.”
His secret: a multisport wheelchair and a handcycle offered through the Para NB equipment loan service of Ability New Brunswick.
The equipment allows Joey to use his muscles while improving his mobility and his sense of independence. They have been a major factor in his significant weight loss.
“It made such a difference being able to move more,” he says. “I feel so much better.”
Joey is delighted with the support he receives from Ability New Brunswick, especially in terms of accessing equipment to make his life easier.
“They are a huge help,” he said. “It’s a comfort knowing they are there when I need them.”
Malik’s story: determined to have fun
Christine and Patrick know that their son, Malik, is up for any challenge – whether it’s racing with his wheelchair, trying out sledge hockey or bracing for medical tests arising from the spinal cancer he has battled since infancy.
Malik was just two months old when he underwent a complex and lengthy surgery to remove a large tumour on his spine at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax. It was the culmination of anxious days for Christine and Patrick as baby Malik had struggled with health complications arising from the extremely rare cancerous growth.
“There are only three or four other cases of this kind in the world,” Christine says. “It’s a slow growing cancer and it is usually seen in older kids, not in babies, and typically it’s in the head, not on the spine. The doctors initially weren’t sure how much of the tumour they would be able to remove, but they got it all.” The Moncton-area family knew that Malik would not be able to walk, but physical limitations have not curbed his energy and sense of fun, including his interest in hockey.
Thanks to Ability New Brunswick’s Para NB program, he now has a small hockey sledge he can use when the conditions are right. “It is still new for him. But it’s so much better than the year before because we didn’t have anything then,” Christine says. “It will be so much better for him to be able to move more. He loves to play hockey and he has a lot of interest in sports. I know in the future, Ability NB will be there to help us with equipment and other programs. We are really lucky to have Ability New Brunswick.”
Christine says a neighbour has a backyard rink Malik can use. They also recently went to the arena with the sledge where Malik had a great deal of fun hitting the hockey puck around the ice rink. “Just like every kid, he loves being out in the fresh air, having fun,” she says.
