This year marks SPORTS ’N SPOKES’ 50th anniversary, and as part of the yearlong celebration of this major milestone, this special department is dedicated to some of the best columns from founder Cliff Crase. This month’s Classic Cliff comes from the first issue of SPORTS ’N SPOKES in May 1975.
Wheelchair sports has come of age. When you pause for a moment and think of how many people are involved in competitive sports or active recreational endeavors, it staggers the imagination.
The National Wheelchair Athletic Association (now Wheelchair & Ambulatory Sports USA), National Wheelchair Basketball Association and American Wheelchair Bowling Association are expanding daily, plus there are numerous individual accomplishments by active people. Sharing this knowledge is most important to everyone.
Our intentions with SPORTS ’N SPOKES magazine are manyfold. The major ones are for the magazine to be used for educational purposes, and as a reference to answer those puzzling questions that confront a person who wants to be active but can’t find a starting point. It should keep the sports enthusiast up to date on all the latest rules, records and general information about sports and recreation.
The magazine will not be a spokesman for any one particular organization, but will serve to approach the general public and inform them, in a proper way, that wheelchair athletes do take their events very seriously and train extremely hard to reach their present goals.
An athlete just doesn’t go out into the sports world and press 500 pounds, race 25 miles, swim any stroke in excellent times or shoot archery on any level. You don’t grab five people in five wheelchairs and crash around the basketball court for 40 minutes and expect to make a national tourney. The public should be aware that these successful athletes practice, are dedicated and know how to sacrifice to become champions in their events. The public wants to know this but never really has been informed or exposed to the real world of wheelchair sports.
An active sport or recreation is great for the body, both physically and psychologically, and is definitely a part of healthy living. You can have fun and games in sports and recreation, or you can be serious and travel the exciting path of success of a dedicated athlete. The sport is no novelty when it comes to training to be the best, be selected on the U.S. Wheelchair Team or become a national champ. It is work, but it’s worth it.
Our goal is to enlighten the public on just what competitive wheelchair sports is, to assist the experienced and novice athlete, and hopefully, give wheelchair sports the recognition it has earned and deserves.