Everyone Has a Right to Glide!

Everyone Has a Right to Glide!

How Coaches Can Remove Barriers for Skaters with Disabilities

By Courtney Fecske, PhD, CTRS

U.S. Figure Skating is making intentional efforts to practice inclusion, appreciate diversity, and enhance equity. When we discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion, people with disabilities are unfortunately often left out of the conversation. Skaters with disabilities are included in this movement and as coaches there are many practices you can follow to encourage people with disabilities to take the ice! This article aims to discuss common barriers that our athletes with disabilities may need to navigate before they even make it onto the ice and what we can do as coaches to help our skaters overcome these barriers.

Common Barriers

Hull (1990) wrote, “If any agreement concerning the nature of leisure exists, it is the common belief that leisure is a positive experience accompanied by satisfying and pleasurable moods, emotions, or feelings” (p.104). When many of us think about what we love about skating, it is simply the freedom and feeling of gliding. The cool crisp air on your face, the fluid flow of movement, the “rip” of a running edge, the comfort of the ice, our home. Youth sport in particular has been shown to be an effective mode to promote psychological benefits (Martin, 2006). Evidence overwhelmingly supports that physical activity, recreation, and sport have the potential to positively and significantly impact the lives of participants (Hogan, Caralino, Mata, & Fredrickson, 2015; Gaskin, Anderson, & Morris, 2010). Thus, if we know that there are many positive outcomes to engaging in recreation, leisure, and sport for people with disabilities why do we not see more skaters with disabilities on the ice? Let’s get to the heart of the matter and look at what the evidence shows as to why it is challenging for people with disabilities to access the sport we love.

The research shows that individuals, particularly adolescents with disabilities, have fewer opportunities to participate in leisure, recreation, and sport than those without disabilities (Block, Tallaferro, & Moran, 2013). This is unfortunate because empirical evidence also supports the many positive benefits of participation in sport and physical activity for adolescents with disabilities (Anderson, 2009). Aside from lack of opportunity, other impactful barriers include

(1) lack of knowledge about how to include people with disabilities in sport programming from multiple parties such as program directors and coaches. For people with disabilities

(2) attitudes and stereotypes can also be prohibitive towards sport participation. At many rinks there may be a lack of representation of skaters with disabilities. Further, coaches and ice rink staff may have preconceived notions about if and how someone with a disability can ice skate and this can create an unwelcoming atmosphere. Another common concern can be a

(3) lack of resources and financial support. Next, social support and sense of belonging

(4) can make all the difference in creating an inclusive space. Lastly, physical accessibility

(5) can be a significant barrier to participation for this community. Skaters need to be able to access the facilities at an ice rink including the restrooms, locker rooms, lobby, and ice surface. Beyond what evidence shows, as coaches, we found a passion for the ice that we all want to share with our skaters so how can we do this while acknowledging that there may be barriers stopping people with disabilities from participating in figure skating?

Call Out to Coaches: Become a Change Maker!

As coaches, we can actively support and encourage involvement in ice skating for skaters with disabilities at our rinks!

1. Learn about people with disabilities

• Reach out to the Adaptive Skating Subcommittee and ask questions.

• Talk with people with disabilities to learn about their needs and how you can support their engagement in ice skating.

• Contact local disability organizations to ask questions and invite them on to the ice.

• Go to the U.S. Figure Skating Adaptive Skating webpage and review resources about adaptive skating.

2. Recruit people with disabilities (McLoughlin et. al, 2017) to try ice skating

• Coaches play an active role in introducing athletes to new sports. Encourage people with disabilities to ice skate. Welcome people with disabilities into your skating community.

• Advertise your skating programs/lessons at schools and community recreation centers that children and adults with disabilities participate in.

• Include current skaters with disabilities in exhibitions, recitals, shows, and classes so others in the community can see and know that skaters with disabilities are included.

3. Add adaptive skating registration and classes to your programming

• Speak with your skating school directors about adding a class specifically for adaptive skating.

• If you cannot offer a specific adaptive skating class, make it clear that adaptive skaters may register for all offered classes, programs, and recitals offered at your rink.

• Include language that lets the community know you are supportive of skaters with disabilities. You can do this by including images of skaters with disabilities in your program content and specifically including in writing that skaters can request accommodations if needed.

4. Funding Opportunities/Resources

• Consider offering skating scholarships or reduced costs for skaters with disabilities to encourage participation.

• Adding an adaptive skating class could be done with a small space on the ice during other classes with assistance from coaches-in-training or volunteers to reduce class/program costs.

• Discuss with your facility manager their willingness to donate ice time for an adaptive skating program.

• Consider scholarships based on need to enhance equity and access for potential skaters.

• Research potential grant opportunities within your community and U.S. Figure Skating

5. Sense of belonging

• Be welcoming and accommodating to interested skaters with disabilities in your programs.

• Include skaters with disabilities in your community and show them support and encouragement. Let these skaters know you want them at your rink.

• By learning about people with disabilities, being open minded, using appropriate language, offering inclusive programming, and demonstrating diverse representation you are sending a message that skaters with disabilities belong at your rink.

6. Physical accessibility

• Be thoughtful and proactive if there are any physical barriers adaptive skaters may encounter in your rink.

• Physical access begins before you even enter the building. As a starting point when thinking about access does your ice rink offer accessible parking spaces, curb cuts near the main entrance, automatic doors when entering the building, a ramp or lift to enter and navigate the building as appropriate, accessible bathroom stalls, and an accessible route to/from the ice surface, including the initial “step” onto the ice?

• Also consider that accessibility is not always about physical barriers. Other access considerations include loud music playing during free skate or class sessions, providing on ice walkers if needed (adaptive equipment), offering additional instructional support if needed, assessing the lighting in public spaces, and being willing to ask, listen, and learn about the needs of skaters with disabilities.

Make Gliding Inclusive

You have read about the barriers and what coaches can do to support skaters with disabilities. I challenge you to become an active change maker and promote inclusion of our sport. Be the coach that reaches out to skaters with disabilities to introduce your passion for ice skating to a group that often does not have the opportunity. Let us truly appreciate diversity on the ice and chip away at the barriers for people with disabilities to get on the ice.

References

Anderson, D. (2009). Adolescent girls’ involvement in disability sport: implications for identity development. Journal of Sport & Social Issues, 33(2), 427-449.

Block, M.E., Taliaferro, A., & Moran, T. (2013). Physical activity and youth with disabilities: Barriers and supports. Prevention Researchers, 20(2), 18-20. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com

Gaskin, C. J., Andersen, M. B., & Morris, T. (2010). Sport and physical activity in the life of a man with cerebral palsy: Compensation for disability with psychosocial benefits and costs. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 11(3), 197-205.

Hogan, C. L., Catalino, L. I., Mata, J., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2015). Beyond emotional benefits: Physical activity and sedentary behaviour affect psychosocial resources through emotions. Psychology & Health, 30(3), 354-369.

Hull, R.B. (1990). Mood as a product of leisure: Causes and consequences. Journal of Leisure Research, 22(2), 99-111.

McLoughlin, G., Weisman Fecske, C., Castaneda, Y., Gwin, C., & Graber, K. (2017). Sport participation for elite athletes with physical disabilities: Motivations, barriers, and facilitators. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 34(4), 421-441.

Martin, J.J. (2006). Psychosocial aspects of youth. Disability sport. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 23, pp.65-77.

Author Bio: Courtney Fecske, PhD, CTRS is a member of the Adaptive Skating Subcommittee and serves as the Skate United lead. Dr. Fecske is currently an Assistant Clinical Professor at Indiana University-Bloomington in the School of Public Health, is a former Team USA Synchronized skater, and current official for US Figure Skating. She has founded and worked with adaptive skating programs and conducts research focused on examining the impact of participation in adaptive sports and inclusive curriculum design.