UCCS faculty, student, alum aim high at Paralympics

While it may not generate the media coverage of the Olympics, UCCS faculty, students and alumni will proudly represent Team USA at Paralympic Games taking place through Sept. 4 in London

Craig Elder, instructor, Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and Garrett Klugh, instructor, College of Business, will work at the games while Bryce Boarman, a Colorado Springs junior majoring in sport management in the College of Business, and Asya Miller, a member of the class of 2008, will participate as athletes.

Paralympians compete on the same courses and in the same events as Olympic athletes. Many Paralympians live at the Olympic Training Center and are world-class athletes in their own right.

See a promotional video about Paralympics here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9VWge-Q_08

Experience and Classroom Meet

Craig Elder at the Paralympics in London.

For Elder, who will work as a trainer for archery, shooting and swimming teams, the opportunity to work with world-class athletes has a direct connection to his classroom.

“What I’m really able to do is to wear two hats,” Elder said of his dual roles as a health sciences instructor and trainer. “This benefits my students in that I’m not teaching just from the text book. They get to hear about real examples, real problems and how those issues were resolved.”

Elder’s thoughts were on his students as he got ready to head to London. He planned to be in London Aug. 22 through Sept. 6. The Labor Day holiday means he’ll miss a week of classes while working as a trainer for three teams and in the sports medicine clinic.

“I’m confident I’ll be coming back with plenty of new material,” Elder said.

Elder is emphatic about the importance of Paralympic sport and the value they bring to the world.

By demonstrating the abilities of paraplegic athletes, Elder believes Paralympics reduces stereotypes of disabled people.

“I am deeply appreciative of the athletes that I work with,” Elder said recently. “Their personal stories are amazing as is their outlook on life. They bring a different perspective to competition, one of great spirit, ingenuity, and thanks for the opportunity to compete at this level. You can’t help but be inspired.”

A Birthday in London

For Boarman, participating in Paralympics is a longtime goal. He celebrated his 22nd birthday Aug. 29 while in London for the games. He is a member of the U.S. men’s soccer team which in international parlance is referred to as “football 7-a-side.”

While he has cerebral palsy, Boarman has played soccer since age 6 in addition to skiing, playing basketball and camping. His philosophy of “impossible is nothing” helps explain his success.

Team USA is scheduled to play Ukraine on Aug. 30.

See an interview with Bryce upon his arrival in London at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWkXAO2ygR0&sns=em

Gold Medal Repeat?

Asya Miller, a member of the class of 2008, is no stranger to completion or to the Paralympics. She is participating in her fourth games. Her goal ball team will face Japan Aug. 30.

Now living in Portland, Ore., Miller earned a goal medal four years ago and a silver in 2004. The Michigan native moved to Colorado Springs to train and earned a master’s degree in criminal justice from the School of Public Affairs. She holds 13 powerlifting world records, two track and field national records, and is a member of the Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame. She is legally blind.

Goalball is a three-on-three sport exclusively for athletes who are visually impaired. The object of the sport is to roll a 30-inch circumference ball into the opponent’s goal while the opposing team tries to block the ball. Bells inside the ball help the players, who wear blackout masks, learn the ball’s location. Silence is required in the arena.

“I have been to England before, but we all are just really excited to be going to the games,” Miller told a reporter from the Flint (Mich.) Journal. “We’ll have a chance to do some other things there after the competition. We already have Harry Potter Museum tickets.”

Related links

Paralympics web site http://www2.teamusa.org/US-Paralympics.aspx

Matt Stutzman, a member of Team USA Archery, and who works with Craig Elder http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdKYG1099ug

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