Adaptive Sport

Goal Ball is a team sport designed specifically for athletes with a vision impairment.

• Goal Ball is Paralympic sport and is easily learned and played by people of all ages and abilities.
• To play, both teams are blindfolded at either end of a court, and roll a ball back and forth across the court.
• The ball has a bell in it so you can stop it without seeing it!
• If you get it past the other team’s end line, you get a point!

Challenger Baseball is an adaptive baseball league for anyone with a physical disability, an intellectual disability, a cognitive delay, or a developmental disability.

Challenger Baseball creates a support network and community of peers and adults to support, encourage, and challenge athletes to step out of their comfort zone.

Para Nordic is an umbrella term that covers multiple impairments. Athletes with impaired muscle power, limb deficiency, leg length difference, hypertonia, ataxia, impaired passive range of movement, vision impairment and athetosis can all participate in Para Nordic.

Many athletes with a disability affecting their lower limbs or gait choose to participate in Para Nordic using a sit ski.

• Sit-skis are made of an ultra-light weight plastic or carbon fibre bucket supported by an aluminium alloy frame.
• This frame clips into a pair of cross country skis.
• Ski poles are shortened to accommodate the seat height and the skier double poles for a cross country ski experience.

Sit-skiing is an accessibility option offered by the Kamview Nordic Trails

• Call 807-475-7081 ahead of time to borrow one.

Wheelchair curling is an adaptation of curling for athletes with a disability affecting their lower limbs or gait.

• Wheelchair curling is played with the same rocks and on the same ice as standard curling, though the rocks are thrown from a stationary wheelchair and there is no sweeping.
• Rocks may be thrown by hand while leaning over the side of the wheelchair, or pushed by a delivery stick.
• The delivery stick is a pole with a bracket that fits over the rock handle, allowing the rock to be pushed while applying correct rotation.

For More information contact:

• Gino at 807-577-6507
• Dave at 807-577-5818
• The Fort William Curling Club at (807) 622-5377

Sledge Hockey, also known as Para ice hockey, is an adaptation of ice hockey designed for players who have a lower-body impairment.

• Sledge hockey is played under similar rules to ice hockey
• Players are seated on sleds and use special hockey sticks with metal "teeth" on the tips of their handles to navigate the ice.
• Call Spinal Cord Injury Ontario at 807-344-3743 or email thunderbay@sciontario.org.
• The Ontario Sledge Hockey Association has more information.

The Therapeutic Riding Association provides physical therapy on horseback to people with special needs in the Thunder Bay area.

Activities involving the horse can be used to assist people with disabilities in achieving physical and mental health, and cognitive, behavioural, social and communication goals.

Learn more about the Therapeutic Riding Association on their Facebook page

The Dynamite Cheer Dreamers is the first and only special needs cheerleading team in Thunder Bay! This team is for girls and boys of all ages. The Dreamers can be seen performing in all local competitions!

The Special Olympics Canada Games began in 1974 and are national multi-sport Games for athletes with an intellectual disability.

At this time there are 18 Special Olympic Sports:

Winter

• Alpine Skiing
• Curling
• Figure Skating
• Floor Hockey
• Nordic Skiing
• Snowshoeing
• Speed Skating

Spring

• 5-Pin Bowling
• 10-Pin Bowling
• Basketball
• Powerlifting
• Rhythmic Gymnastics
• Swimming

Summer

• Athletics
• Bocce
• Golf
• Soccer
• Softball

The Special Olympics Canada Games serve more than 41,000 children, participating in programs run with the support of local sport clubs across 12 provincial and territorial Chapters.

If your child or youth has a disability and wants to go to one of the Recreation and Culture or Children and Youth programs, Junior Inclusion Services (JIS) can provide free, limited, one-on-one support to them.

Learn more about Junior Inclusion Services on the City of Thunder Bay website.

The Personal Attendant for Leisure (PAL) Card is an identification card, which is issued to a person who has a disability. It allows the support person to enter a recreation facility for free. A support person can be a friend, family member or a paid worker.

Learn more about the PAL card on the City of Thunder Bay website.

Motion sells a wide variety of accessibility related products including:

• Wheelchairs
• Mobility Scooters
• Walking Aids
• Power Lift Recliners
• Stairlifts

In addition to selling accessible equipment Motion also rents and repairs their products.

Motion can also help you learn about available funding opportunities for the equipment they provide.