Sports Jessica Bentley

  April 13, 2026 Jessica Bentley  Dr. Sowers Different Athletes, Different Needs The Paralympic Games are one of the world's most respected sporting events that celebrate the most elite competitions among athletes who have physical and sensory impairments. There are strong reasons for keeping the Paralympics and Special Olympics separate from each other. The separation is critical to help maintain restrictions on athletes with intellectual disabilities in the Paralympic platform. The Paralympics were designed around a very specific classification system that helps group athletes by the impact of their impairment on specific high-performance sports. The goal of this is to ensure that competition is fair and a winner is determined by skill and training, not by the difference of their impairment. Physical and visual impairments and other disabilities, such as spinal cord injuries, limb loss, or visual impairment, are the ways that athletes are measured. These are the ways you can...

April 6, 2026 Jessica Bentley  Dr. Sowers The power of Track Participating in all kinds of sports can offer an individual powerful advantages which can impact physical health and mental well being. A track athlete can benefit physically by building cardiovascular health, muscle strength, endurance, and gaining coordination.  Running, sprinting, field events, and wheelchair racing strengthens the heart and lungs while promoting overall fitness in the body. According to the CDC regular physical activity reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Track is a very versatile sport because it is very easily adapted to different levels of people's ability levels. Track is an inclusive and accessible sport.  Track can also provide an individual with mental growth and development as well as provide physical activity. It can help reduce stress, depression, and anxiety by releasing endorphins that will improve mood and energy levels. In additio...