Texas Rowing For All’s annual Paralympic Experience event, to be held Saturday, May 11th.

This event is FREE for participants who have completed Paralympic Experience Registration Form .

The Paralympic Experience provides participants access to equipment and to try out and experience adaptive sport.  The mission of the Paralympic Experience is to introduce the Austin community about opportunities surrounding Paralympic / adaptive sports.    Anyone interested and learning more about adaptive sports is strongly urged to attend, including people with disabilities; veterans;  families; coaches; teachers; and the community at large.    Adaptive rowing will be featured, along with other adaptive sports.

The Paralympic Experience event will be based at the Texas Rowing Center at 1541 West Cesar Chavez (directly behind Austin High School on the north side of Lady Bird Lake) on the Hike and Bike Trail.   We look forward to seeing you on May 11th, 2013!

This week-long fun-filled day Camp will offer youth and young adults with disabilities (ages 13+ and up) a great summer outdoor experience on and around Austin’s Lady Bird Lake.

Staff will consist of counselors and instructors who have first-hand experience working with youth with a variety of disabilities.  Our staff employ best practice working with people with disabilities, and are knowledgeable regarding safety & adaptive sports.  Staff ratio is 1 staff assigned to every 5 campers (or less).  Camp Kayak will host a maximum of 16 campers.

Camp will consist of the following:

• Paddling (no experience necessary and equipment will be adapted depending on the needs of the individual camper)

• River Ecology

• Wading / Swimming

• Making Friends

• Splash & Grass Games

• Team Work

• Circle Communications

• Barton Creek Adventures

• Making New Friends

• Having Fun

Camp Kayak-2013 will be held for TWO sessions:   June 10-14  and July 15-19.  

Campers May Repeat Sessions!

Camp will be held 8:30 am—12:00 noon in the coolest part of the day!

Cost:  $150. per week.    ****Camp will fill FAST!   

 ****Complete your REGISTRATION     …& get your reservation in EARLY.

For more detailed information please click on the poster:  —>   2013  ~CAMP KAYAK~

“Most of these men and women are athletes. Soldiers are athletes. I’ve been blown away by what kind of athletes we’ve been given. People with no legs, one leg that are more powerful than can be imagined,” Kara Roth of Texas Rowing For All said.

Click Here and watch this story by FOX7 news.

Texas Rowing For All was recognized with the “DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD”  from the City of Austin, Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities in October, 2010.

TRFA was heralded as adhering to it’s mission to “enrich and transform the lives of people with disabilities through it’s many rowing & paddling program in a supportive environment”.   The Mayor’s council also proclaimed that TRFA “apart from the benefits to the participants, the location on Lake Lady Bird is conducive to shattering stereotypes about disability as the rowers are highly visible to thoese crossing bridges or using the popular Hike & Bike trail.  Kudos to the Texas Rowing for All on receiving the 2010 Distinguished Service Award.”

About the Austin Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities (AMCPD):

“ The AMCPD was established by City Ordinance, which states the AMCPD’s purpose is “To encourage, assist and enable persons with disabilities to participate in the social and economic life of the city of Austin, achieve maximum personal independence, become gainfully employed, and use and enjoy fully all public and private facilities available within the community.”

“AMCPD operates withing the geographic city limits of Austin in cooperation with the Governor’s Committee for People with Disabilities.”

Coach David Miller helps athletes build skills & technique on the erg

Adaptive Rowing programmes were initiated in 1975, in a number of countries, including Australia, Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands and USA. This article by Parasport in the UK talks about Adaptive Rowing, and its origins to the Paralympic games.

Texas Rowing Center Adaptive programming supports adaptive rowing in a large way by holding adaptive rowing coached sessions every Saturday and Monday morning.

US Adaptive Rowing Team with "our own" Eric McDaniel & Jamica (dog)

Continuing our history of rowing with disabilities and Texas Rowing For All, here is an article from our nation’s rowing council, US Rowing. In April 2009, Texas Rowing For All was chosen as a Paralympic Sports Club – Austin by the United States Olympic Committee. This continues to be a huge honor for us, and we’d like to share it with you.

“Unfortunately for people experiencing a disability, involvement in sports and recreation activities may be difficult to achieve on their own. Through sports participation, people with disabilities can experience meaningful activity, heightened self-confidence, independence, a sense of accomplishment and preparation for new challenges in life. These are the goals of the TRC Adaptive Rowing Program.” ~ US Rowing

As a Navy veteran, I wonder if Snyder knows that servicemen have been using rowing to aid in their recovery since World War II? In fact, this is where rowing for the disabled all started. Veterans of World War II were essential players in the sport of adaptive rowing in the United States. Taking place in Philadelphia, veterans who were blinded from the war competed in an Army vs. Navy race.

Texas Rowing For All‘s mission is to enrich and transform of the lives of people with disabilities through the sport of rowing and paddling. We celebrate our history by continuing to offer opportunities for those who are physically challenged in Texas.

The Olympic Opportunity Fund is provided through a partnership between the USOC and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Grants ranging from $10,000 to $25,000 were provided to USOC partner organizations to increase the number and quality of opportunities for physically and visually impaired veterans to participate in physical activity within their home communities and in more advanced Paralympic sport programs.

“This funding is helping to meet the need for Paralympic and adaptive sport programming for disabled veterans and disabled members of the Armed Forces in communities across the country,” said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun. “At the London 2012 Paralympic Games, there were 20 veterans and service members on the U.S. team who accounted for a total of 13 U.S. medals. We hope to build on that success at the elite level as well as continue to grow the number of veterans participating in Paralympic and adaptive sport at the grassroots level moving forward.”

“Veterans Affairs is pleased to be partnering again with the USOC to provide funding for these programs,” said Chris Nowak, national director, VA Office of National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events. “This support is crucial to the thousands of veteran athletes who are participating and improving their lives along the way.”

Bicycle Sports Shop is a sponsor of Austin’s Circle C Ranch Cycling Club.  Circle C Ranch Cycling Club is a group for cyclists, both recreational and racers  in South West Austin.  The membership of CCRCC  made the decision to forward Bicycle Sports Shop financial funding of CCRCC directly on to Texas Rowing For All.   All donation money received will go directly into support the many Texas Rowing For All-Paralympic Sport Austin programs aimed at youth and adults with disabilities.

THANK YOU BICYCLE SPORTS SHOP AND CIRCLE C RANCH CYCLING CLUB!

If you have wanted to Learn to Row, or attend a weekly or bi-weekly Coached Session this is the group is for YOU!

Additionally the Community Crew has joined forces with the Military / Wounded Warrior Crew that meets every Monday throughout the year for coached on-water rowing practices.

***Prior to coming down to row—you will need to:    

Complete Registration materials and set up a time to meet with our Community Crew organizer.

Contact Kara at:   kara.roth@rocketmail.com.