2018 Paralympian Steve Emt to Headline 2018 Adaptive Sports Fest

The Gaylord Hospital Sports Association, SCSU Institute for Adaptive Sports and Inclusive Recreation and Chapter 126 Sports and Fitness, an Oak Hill Center will host the 2018 Adaptive Sports Fest to build awareness of the opportunities and benefits of participating in adaptive sports programs.

The one-day festival will take place on Saturday, April 7 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Moore Field House at Southern Connecticut State University, 125 Wintergreen Ave., New Haven. All are invited to attend and admission is free.

The event will kick off at 10:00 a.m. with a keynote speech from Steve Emt, a former UConn basketball player who participated in the 2018 Paralympics in South Korea as a member of the wheelchair curling team. Emt will share the impact that adaptive sports have had on his life and his recent experiences at PyeongChang.

“The festival is a great way for people with permanent physical disabilities and visual impairments to become familiar with the world of adaptive sports,” said Gaylord Hospital Sports Association Program Manager, Katie Joly. “It’s a fun opportunity to learn about - and even try - new activities.”

Joly explained that during the festival, attendees will have the opportunity to watch demonstrations or participate in clinics in wheelchair rugby, wheelchair lacrosse, boccia, golf, yoga, goalball and wheelchair basketball.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet with local and national athletes and parathletes and to peruse an expo area featuring adaptive sports programs and resources in Connecticut including sled hockey, cycling, archery, kayaking, running, horseback riding and much more.

For free registration, please visit www.gaylord.org/sportsfest.

About the Gaylord Sports Association:

The Sports Association of Gaylord Hospital provides adaptive sports and recreation programs to adults with physical disabilities in the state of Connecticut and throughout the Northeast. The Association is dedicated to improving the lives of persons with physical disabilities through adaptive sports and recreation. The goal is to empower individuals to embrace new challenges and to reach beyond the barriers to discover what is possible through adaptive sports.

The Gaylord Sports Association provides opportunities to participate in more than a dozen sports throughout the year including alpine skiing, archery, cycling, golf, kayaking, paratriathlon, quad rugby, rock climbing, sled hockey, tennis, veteran’s fishing, and water skiing. Individuals with a permanent physical disability or visual impairment are encouraged to join the program and participate in events. For more information, visit www.gaylord.org.

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