Mrs. Amy Boutilier

Sport and Medical Sciences Academy

280 Huyshope Avenue

Hartford, CT 06106

 

Dear Mrs. Boutilier:

 

Ever since I had my spinal fusion surgery, I have had to adapt to doing simple, everyday tasks. Knowing the difficult experience I had post surgery, I am extremely fond of Oak Hill for aiding those with physical disabilities and chronic health conditions. For my Capstone Project, I will be teaming up with this adaptive sports and fitness facility in Hartford to teach students at SMSA about adaptive sports, specially sitting volleyball. In the spring, I will teach students during blocks 2 of Fundamental of PE about the rules involved in sitting volleyball and teach them to play. I will also be interning and volunteering at Oak Hill twice a week learning about disability adaption to everyday tasks, muscular differences and how their motor functions are impacted by exercise. I am passionate about this environment Oak Hill is creating to showcase that just because someone has a disability does not mean they are incapable of achieving a task. 

 

Personally, I know that my spinal fusion surgery damaged several muscles in my back therefore, the chiropractor identifies key workouts that I should be doing in order to strengthen these muscles. I believe that at Oak Hill their fitness coordinators do precisely the same thing. They target a specific group of muscles and help members workout whether post surgery or with any condition. My research question will be how do different personality types affect the acceptance of a prosthetics. 

 

My mentor is Paul Weiland, the sports coordinator at Oak Hill Adaptive Sports and Fitness. He is an active advocate for adaptive sports and individuals with disabilities and is very passionate in helping individuals realize their full potential. Along with coordinating different sports, he is also a coach and player of the Connecticut Spokebenders Wheelchair Basketball Team and was a member of the USA Paralympics Wheelchair Basketball Selection Committee in 2008. Weiland has been more than generous in aiding me in this journey and has shared tips on where to start learning about sitting volleyball. He can be contacted on his cell phone at 515-326-1164. I believe this project will reaffirm my thought that those with disabilities are just as dedicated and determined. This project will push me to engage with adults facing these kinds of difficulties because I personally find them intimidating. I worry that I might make it uncomfortable for them in this environment, but my goal is to interact with them and to feel welcomed and excited when I walk in. 

 

Sincerely, 

 

Michelle Wegrzyniak 

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