Get involved in modified sports.
With the Paralympics kicking off on 6 March, it’s hard not to catch a little Paralympic fever. You might be watching incredible athletes and thinking, “I’d love to try something like that.” Across Australia, modified sports (sometimes called adaptive or accessible sports) are growing through local clubs, ‘come and try’ days and community programs. Modified sport simply means the rules, equipment, environment or supports are adjusted so more people can participate in a way that works for them. For some people, that might look like using a sports wheelchair or powerchair. For others, it might be small changes like a different ball, shorter game time, extra breaks, a support person on court or a more social format. We had a chat with Rachel Willmer, a volunteer and advocate who supports inclusive sport in Australia. Rachel is the Director and Team Manager for the Australian Sliders (Australia’s national powerchair hockey team) and a team manager for a Brisbane-based powerchair football club. Why inclusive sport matters. For Rachel, being involved in inclusive sport has given her a “front-row seat” to see people with disability find a sense of belonging in spaces that might otherwise feel isolating. She remembers young players saying, “I’ve
