The Magazine for Wheelchair Sports and Recreation Vol. 47 No. 1 January 2021 Loosen Up Discover the many benefits of stretching Inside SPORTS ’N SPOKES Features 14 Rising Phoenix Paralympic athletes say a recent Netflix movie has been well-received and brought awareness. by Shelly Anderson 18 Sports Go Virtual Paralyzed Veterans of America’s sports programs are finding new ways to help members virtually during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. by John Groth 24 Convenience & Luxury For the athletes who use it, the Boston Sports Institute is far more than a unique athletic facility with an accessible pool and sled hockey-ready ice rink. by Lisa Van Loo 18 on sportsnspokes.com Scan This! Digital Highlights Or go to GIGI CHANGES THE GAME CYBATHLON MOVES DESPITE DISTANCE sportsnspokes.com Even at 65 years old, Paralympian Margaret Fifty-one teams from 20 countries competed in No- “Gigi” McIntosh continues to compete in the vember’s 2020 Cybathlon Global Edition, an inter- sport of para equestrian. Find out what led national competition where people with physical her to compete at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro disabilities race to complete everyday tasks using Paralympic Games. state-of-the-art technical assistance systems. January 2021 | SPORTS ’N SPOKES 3 Inside SPORTS ’N SPOKES 6 MY OPINION Optimistic & Smart by Tom Fjerstad 12 FITNESS Stretching Helps For Daily Health by Jennifer Best 30 PEOPLE Life-Changing Decision by John Groth 14 33 INNOVATIONS New Clothing Designs by Jennifer Best Also in This Issue 7 Sports Associations 8 In The Game 36 On The Sidelines 38 Classifieds 38 ProShop 39 Final Frame 24 On the cover: Stretching not only SPORTS ’N SPOKES (ISSN 0161-6706). Published bi- month ly in January, March, May, July, September, and helps wheelchair athletes achieve November, by the Paralyzed Veterans of America, peak performance, but it’s also Inc., at 7250 North 16th Street, Suite 100, Phoenix, AZ 85020-5214, U.S.A. (602) 224-0500. Periodicals postage imperative for daily health. Photo by paid at Phoenix, AZ, and at additional entry offices. Getty Images/GoodLifeStudio. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to SPORTS ’N SPOKES, 7250 North 16th Street, Suite 100, Phoenix, AZ 85020-5214, U.S.A. Subscription rates: $21 annually. Foreign orders: $27 (U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank). 44 SPORTS ’N SPOKES | January 2021 TOM FJERSTAD My Opinion Optimistic & Smart Team sports are no doubt where the great- est challenges come into play because of the elcome to the first entirely often extremely close proximity of the players. digital issue of SPORTS ’N W Wheelchair basketball, softball, rugby and simi- SPOKES magazine. lar sports may be some of the last to fully return The magazine may be follow- to a pre-pandemic normal, but I’d like to think ing the trend of the publishing in- we’re smart enough to find a work-around in dustry, but its content still relies on the real world until that time comes. real, in-person, physically tangible events and ac- Last July, a number of wheelchair softball tivities. If you’re like me, you’ve had enough of the players got together in Kansas City, Mo., for a pretend, virtual world and want to get back to en- few games. They made some minor rule mod- joying real sports and real activities. Published by Paralyzed Veterans of America ifications, and everyone had a great time get- 7250 North 16th Street, Suite 100 I’m not discounting or minimizing the impor- Phoenix, AZ 85020 • (602) 224-0500 ting out in the fresh air for some much-needed tance of doing whatever we can to stay active competition and camaraderie. To the best of and connected during challenging times, but EDITOR my knowledge, it didn’t turn I’ll never accept the cre- Tom Fjerstad, ext. 100 into a super-spreader event ative alternatives of 2020 [email protected] and was a great example of as a “new normal.” Athletes responsible modification OPERATIONS MANAGER such as quad rugby players and accommodation. need to be crashing and Sherri Shea, ext. 102 I really hope 2021 doesn’t [email protected] bruising, not getting blis- turn into a continuation of ters on their fingers from a last year and its never-end- ASSISTANT EDITOR computer mouse. ing disappointments. The Andy Nemann, ext. 112 The SPORTS ’N SPOKES Tokyo Summer Paralympics [email protected] staff is as anxious to cover can’t be postponed again. real events in 2021 as you are EDITORIAL COORDINATORS I understand the sheer to participate in them. To me, size and complexity of this John Groth, ext. 105 it seems that many sports [email protected] event make last-minute ad- should be continuing to PUBLICATIONS PVA justments much more dif- Brittany Martin, ext. 110 offer viable, real-life options ficult or even impossible. [email protected] for participation. Social dis- But decisions that may not tancing is a phrase that can’t ART & PRODUCTION be either ideal or ultimately disappear from our vocabulary soon enough, but even necessary must be made. Ann Garvey, ext. 103 until it does, I can’t help but use the grocery store [email protected] Smaller events and competitions have much as a measuring stick of acceptable socialization. greater flexibility in this regard, and I hope Kerry Randolph, ext. 104 If it’s OK to roll up and down the aisles of the [email protected] every attempt is made to make them happen, store, passing by other shoppers, I think some if at all possible. ADVERTISING minor modifications or simple precautions should Let’s be optimistic, while at the same time allow for the return of most of our cherished Steve Max, 215-284-8787 being smart about our choices. I’m hopeful for sports and activities. [email protected] a 2021 filled with wheelchair rugby and other I don’t need to go down the list of sports and sports being played as they should be and SUBSCRIPTIONS offer suggestions because I’m sure most of you SPORTS ’N SPOKES being there to cover every ac- have already come to your own realizations as Suzi Hubbard, ext. 109 tion-packed moment. [email protected] to what could work and what would not be ac- S’NS ceptable to you. WEB CONTENT Christopher Di Virgilio, ext. 106 [email protected] Now in its 46th year of publication, SPORTS ’N SPOKES is the nation’s premier magazine for wheelchair sports and recreation primarily for those with spinal-cord injury, spina bifida, amputation and some congenital defects. Not respon sible for unsolicited material. SPORTS ’N SPOKES neither endorses nor guarantees any of the products or services advertised. © 2021 Paralyzed Veterans of America. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without permission is prohibited. 66 SPORTS ’N SPOKES | January 2021 SportsSports Associations Associations AMPUTEE SPORTS International Wheelchair Aviators Move United SKIING 82 Corral Drive 451 Hungerford Drive, Ste. 608 Move United Keller, TX 76244 Rockville, MD 20850 Move United 451 Hungerford Drive, Ste. 608 (817) 229-4634 moveunitedsport.org 451 Hungerford Drive, Ste. 608 Rockville, MD 20850 [email protected] Rockville, MD 20850 moveunitedsport.org wheelchairaviators.org World T.E.A.M. Sports moveunitedsport.org 4250 Veterans Memorial Highway, ARCHERY Ste. 420E Ski for Light, Inc. FOOTBALL Holbrook, NY 11741 1455 West Lake Street Disabled Archery, USA (855) 987-8326 / 288-3377 (fax) Minneapolis, MN 55408 Move United (612) 827-3232 c/o Coach Glen Harris 451 Hungerford Drive, Ste. 608 worldteamsports.org [email protected] P.O. Box 698 Rockville, MD 20850 sfl.org Langley, WA 98260 moveunitedsport.org (360) 321-5979 QUAD SPORTS [email protected] Universal Wheelchair Bay Area Outreach & Recreation SOFTBALL disabledsportsusa.org/archery Football Association Program (BORP) U.C. Raymond Walters College 3075 Adeline St., Ste. 155 National Wheelchair BASKETBALL Disability Services Office Berkeley, CA 94703 Softball Association 9555 Plainfield Road (510) 849-4663 / 849-4616 (fax) 13414 Paul Street Wheelchair Basketball Canada Cincinnati, OH 45236-1096 [email protected] Omaha, NE 68154 6 Antares Drive, Phase 1, Unit 8 (513) 792-8625 borp.org (402) 305-5020 Ottawa, Ontario K2E 8A9 [email protected] [email protected] Canada United States Quad Rugby wheelchairsoftball.org Association (613) 260-1296 GOLF [email protected] 4000 Ridgeway Drive TABLE TENNIS wheelchairbasketball.ca U.S. Golf Association Homewood, AL 35209 1631 Mesa Avenue (205) 999-3092 American Wheelchair International Wheelchair Colorado Springs, CO 80906 usqra.org Table Tennis Association Basketball Federation (719) 471-4810, ext.15 23 Parker Street 5 Route Suisse usga.org Port Chester, NY 10573 1295 Mies RACQUET SPORTS (914) 937-3932 Switzerland National Amputee Golf Association International Tennis Federation [email protected] +41-22-545-00-00 11 Walnut Hill Road (Wheelchair Tennis Department) iwbf.org Amherst, NH 03031 Bank Lane, Roehampton TRACK & FIELD (800) 633-6242 London SW15 5XZ, England National Wheelchair [email protected] (011) 0044-(0)208-878-6464 Adaptive Track & Field USA Basketball Association* nagagolf.org 0044-(0)208-392-4744 (fax) (ATSUSA) 1130 Elkton Drive, Ste. C [email protected] https://www.atfusa.org Colorado Springs, CO 80907 HOCKEY itftennis.com (719) 266-4082 WATER SPORTS/RECREATION nwba.org U.S. Sled Hockey Association United States Tennis Association 710 N. Lake Shore Drive, 3rd Floor 70 W. Red Oak Lane American Canoe Association BILLIARDS Chicago, IL 60611 White Plains, NY 10604 7432 Alban Station Boulevard (312) 908-4292 / 908-1051 (fax) (914) 696-7000 / 696-7029 (fax) Ste. B-232 National Wheelchair [email protected] usta.com Springfield, VA 22150 Poolplayers Association usahockey.com/sledhockey (703) 451-0141 / 451-2245 (fax) 9757 Mount Lompoc Court americancanoe.org Las Vegas, NV 89178 RECREATION [email protected] HORSEBACK RIDING Turning POINT (Paraplegics Handicapped Scuba Association North American Riding for the On Independent Nature Trips) 1104 El Prado BOWLING Handicapped Association 403 Pacific Avenue San Clemente, CA 92672 P.O.