Reflecting Back on The Course

Reflecting Back

 Reflecting back on the first day of this class, I can now see how much knowledge I lacked about disabled sports. Given that I want to be an occupational therapist working with kids with disabilities, this is a very important aspect in that field. The main topics I have learned throughout the course included the meaning behind the Paralympics, how the media affects the disabled population, the rules and fairness in disabled sports, the special Olympics, and I even got to explore sports events near me for the visually impaired. This course has definitely changed my mindset towards the value of sports for individuals with a disability. I have also gained much knowledge that emphasizes the significance of disabled sports in advancing inclusivity and equality for individuals with disabilities. With disabled sports, it is important to provide inclusivity to provide a sense of being to these athletes. Although we want everyone to be included, there are also certain rules that need to come into play because people have taken it for advantage in the past and cheated in the Paralympics. In other words, engaging in disabled sports provides an avenue for people with disabilities to exhibit their abilities, push themselves, and reap the rewards of physical activity and social connections. So it is important we provide a stable and fair ground for these disabled athletes to participate in.





Impact of Disabled Sports

This course has reinforced the crucial role of disabled sports and how they can positively impact the lives of people with disabilities. Additionally, it has increased my awareness of the societal obstacles that hinder people with disabilities from participating in sports and how we can strive to eliminate them. As I mentioned before in this course I learned how media and society affects disabled people. The media tends to portray them as sad and depressed or like they are “ill” and want to be cured. I learned that having a disability does not necessarily imply that an individual's life is ruined, and they are unhappy. Regardless of their circumstances, people with disabilities have the ability to find fulfillment in their lives. Promoting disabled sports in today’s society is very important. I feel as though we should host more sports events at Stockton University to promote and provide more information about disabled sports. By providing accurate information and educating people about the benefits of disabled sports, we can promote inclusivity and inspire more individuals with disabilities to partake in sports. Overall, I am very glad I took this course and I only hope to dive deeper into this topic later on in my life. 

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