PHOENIX, Ariz. (Jan. 12, 2015): Last year it was bronze, this year the Virginia G. Piper Sports and Fitness Center for Persons with Disabilities (SpoFit) has been designated as a Silver Level Paralympic Sport Club (PSC) by U.S. Paralympics, a division of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC)
Paralympic Sport Clubs are community-based programs that engage youth and adults with physical and visual disabilities in sports and physical activity regardless of skill level. SpoFit, a program of Arizona Bridge to Independent Living, achieved the designation, moving from bronze to silver, through the Paralympic Sport Club Excellence Program that has established benchmarks for each level.
SpoFit advanced to the Silver Level by expanding its Paralympic Sports programs and events, participating in a Paralympic Talent Identification Day and obtaining Paralympic Sport Coaching certifications, among other benchmarks.
The designation includes a $2000 grant.
“We’ve got our eyes on the gold because that’s where we want to be,” said SpoFit Vice President and General Manager Gus LaZear. “Having U.S. Paralympics designations reflect the hard work and commitment of our staff to achieve the highest levels of excellence in every phase of our programming, events and operations.”
U.S. Paralympics has partnered with community organizations in 48 states and the District of Columbia to form a nationwide Paralympic Sport Club network.
For more information about Paralympic Sport Clubs, visit www.teamusa.org. For more information about SpoFit programs, activities, services and opportunities, visit www.ability360.org/sports/.