American Association of Adapted Sports Programs
Encyclopedia
American Association of Adapted Sports Programs, Inc. (AAASP) works in cooperation and partnership with existing agencies throughout the U.S. to establish program oversight, policies, procedures, and regulations in adapted sports.
Bev Vaughn had worked as the first full–time adapted sports program coordinator (1990) for the DeKalb County, Georgia
school system.
Bev Vaughn changes the program’s focus from primarily recreational and non–competitive sports participation to emphasize opportunities for physical development in compliance with standards established by national adult disabled sport governing bodies, and interscholastic athletics for persons without disabilities.
Vaughn also develops the original model for competitive cross–disability sport participation and develops a program for training and certifying coaches. Additionally, she evaluates and modifies sport rules in order to accommodate youth athletes, and introduces the no–pass, no–play policy to put emphasis on academic standards for athletes.
In 1996 the American Association of Adapted Sports Programs, Inc. or AAASP was founded with five program sites (school districts) in Georgia. The original AAASP adapted sports are wheelchair basketball, indoor wheelchair soccer, and track and field.
, spina bifida
, spinal cord injury
, amputee, muscular dystrophy
, osteogenesis imperfecta
and other physical disorders. Students who have a visual impairment, are blind
or sensory impaired are also eligible.
classes and whose primary disability is physical or visual(either acquired or at birth) are eligible to participate. Students who are mainstreamed must adhere to the AAASP’s no-pass/no-play policy, adopted from the GHSA
. Special Education students must adhere to their IEP
(Individualized Education Program
) goals. Students who register must have the maturity and ability to understand strategy and to apply standards employed for their safety.
(GHSA) recognizes AAASP as the governing and sanctioning body for interscholastic adapted athletics serving Georgia’s students with physical disabilities or visual impairments. Association membership is open to all Georgia school districts. A district may elect to collaborate with another school district or community partner, such as a local YMCA
or Parks and Recreation Department. The Florida High School Athletic Association
(FHSAA) and the Kentucky High School Athletic Association
(KHSAA) currently offer divisions in track and field only under AAASP guidelines. All high school students in these states with a qualifying disability may participate. AAASP member programs must complete a yearly membership agreement and must keep current all seasonal association fees. In order for Georgia school districts and their partnering agencies to maintain membership, all adaptedSPORTS® coaches and coordinators must attain AAASP certification in the adapted sport(s) that they coach, and any other course or certification required by GHSA (if applicable). These requirements apply only to coaches who oversee wheelchair handball, wheelchair basketball
, power soccer
, Wheelchair Football (American)
and beep baseball. High school track and field
coaches must follow the guidelines of their state high school athletic association requirements.
The sports featured in the adaptedSPORTS® Model have their origin in Paralympic and adult disability sports, however, they are innovative in that they are cross-disability in nature. AAASP has adapted these sports for the student-athlete based on their functional ability. By providing standardized competition rules, it is possible for the widespread implementation of an interscholastic adapted athletic system. Additionally, student athletes are developing the skills that can lead to participation at the collegiate, community and elite levels.
AAASP has two divisions of play for its member teams - varsity and junior varsity. Teams are placed by AAASP in these divisions with input from the coordinator and coaches. This placement is based on many factors, such as the teams overall experience, years of play, and the functional ability of individual players.
The current list of sports offered by AAASP is as follows:
Fall:
Winter:
Spring:
History
AAASP was founded in 1996 by Bev Vaughn and Tommie Storms as a membership of school districts and later state high school associations cooperating in sharing policy and standardization in adapted sports for students with physical disabilities.Bev Vaughn had worked as the first full–time adapted sports program coordinator (1990) for the DeKalb County, Georgia
DeKalb County, Georgia
DeKalb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population of the county was 691,893 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is the city of Decatur. It is bordered to the west by Fulton County and contains roughly 10% of the city of Atlanta...
school system.
Bev Vaughn changes the program’s focus from primarily recreational and non–competitive sports participation to emphasize opportunities for physical development in compliance with standards established by national adult disabled sport governing bodies, and interscholastic athletics for persons without disabilities.
Vaughn also develops the original model for competitive cross–disability sport participation and develops a program for training and certifying coaches. Additionally, she evaluates and modifies sport rules in order to accommodate youth athletes, and introduces the no–pass, no–play policy to put emphasis on academic standards for athletes.
In 1996 the American Association of Adapted Sports Programs, Inc. or AAASP was founded with five program sites (school districts) in Georgia. The original AAASP adapted sports are wheelchair basketball, indoor wheelchair soccer, and track and field.
Student Eligibility
Eligible students are girls and boys who attend grades 1-12 and who have an orthopedic impairment as defined under federal law (IDEA). Examples of the types of disabilities served include students with cerebral palsyCerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive, non-contagious motor conditions that cause physical disability in human development, chiefly in the various areas of body movement....
, spina bifida
Spina bifida
Spina bifida is a developmental congenital disorder caused by the incomplete closing of the embryonic neural tube. Some vertebrae overlying the spinal cord are not fully formed and remain unfused and open. If the opening is large enough, this allows a portion of the spinal cord to protrude through...
, spinal cord injury
Spinal cord injury
A spinal cord injury refers to any injury to the spinal cord that is caused by trauma instead of disease. Depending on where the spinal cord and nerve roots are damaged, the symptoms can vary widely, from pain to paralysis to incontinence...
, amputee, muscular dystrophy
Muscular dystrophy
Muscular dystrophy is a group of muscle diseases that weaken the musculoskeletal system and hamper locomotion. Muscular dystrophies are characterized by progressive skeletal muscle weakness, defects in muscle proteins, and the death of muscle cells and tissue.In the 1860s, descriptions of boys who...
, osteogenesis imperfecta
Osteogenesis imperfecta
Osteogenesis imperfecta is a genetic bone disorder. People with OI are born with defective connective tissue, or without the ability to make it, usually because of a deficiency of Type-I collagen...
and other physical disorders. Students who have a visual impairment, are blind
Blindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
or sensory impaired are also eligible.
No-Pass/No-Play Policy
Students who are fully mainstreamed, partially mainstreamed, or attending special educationSpecial education
Special education is the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the students' individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials,...
classes and whose primary disability is physical or visual(either acquired or at birth) are eligible to participate. Students who are mainstreamed must adhere to the AAASP’s no-pass/no-play policy, adopted from the GHSA
GHSA
GHSA may refer to:*Georgia High School Association*Gordon Head Soccer Association...
. Special Education students must adhere to their IEP
IEP
IEP can mean multiple things:* Individualized Education Program* International Energy Program* Institut d'études politiques, a group of French university faculties concentrating mainly but not exclusively on political science...
(Individualized Education Program
Individualized Education Program
In the United States an Individualized Education Program, commonly referred to as an IEP, is mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act...
) goals. Students who register must have the maturity and ability to understand strategy and to apply standards employed for their safety.
Administration
In Georgia, the Georgia High School AssociationGeorgia High School Association
The Georgia High School Association governs athletic and club events for member high schools in Georgia, USA. The GHSA is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations. The association comprises 437 public and private high schools...
(GHSA) recognizes AAASP as the governing and sanctioning body for interscholastic adapted athletics serving Georgia’s students with physical disabilities or visual impairments. Association membership is open to all Georgia school districts. A district may elect to collaborate with another school district or community partner, such as a local YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
or Parks and Recreation Department. The Florida High School Athletic Association
Florida High School Athletic Association
The Florida High School Athletic Association is an organization whose purpose is to organize sports competition for high school It is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations ....
(FHSAA) and the Kentucky High School Athletic Association
Kentucky High School Athletic Association
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association has been the governing body of Kentucky high school athletics since 1917. Located in Lexington, the organization sanctions competition in the following sports:*Boys and girls**Basketball**Bowling*...
(KHSAA) currently offer divisions in track and field only under AAASP guidelines. All high school students in these states with a qualifying disability may participate. AAASP member programs must complete a yearly membership agreement and must keep current all seasonal association fees. In order for Georgia school districts and their partnering agencies to maintain membership, all adaptedSPORTS® coaches and coordinators must attain AAASP certification in the adapted sport(s) that they coach, and any other course or certification required by GHSA (if applicable). These requirements apply only to coaches who oversee wheelchair handball, wheelchair basketball
Wheelchair basketball
Wheelchair basketball is basketball played by people in wheelchairs and is considered one of the major disabled sports practiced. The International Wheelchair Basketball Federation is the governing body for this sport. It is recognized by the International Paralympic Committee as the sole...
, power soccer
Power Soccer
For the online multiplayer game, see Power ChallengePowerchair Football, also known as Power Soccer is a competitive team sport for people with disabilities who use power wheelchairs. The game is played in a gymnasium on a regulation basketball court...
, Wheelchair Football (American)
Wheelchair Football (American)
Wheelchair Footballis a fast-paced sport that is best played whenathletes are in maximum physical condition, and at the top of their gamein teamwork, strategy and wheelchair-handling skills for both manual wheelchair and power wheelchair users.-History:...
and beep baseball. High school track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
coaches must follow the guidelines of their state high school athletic association requirements.
adaptedSPORTS® Model
AAASP employs athletics through a system called the adaptedSPORTS® Model. This award-winning model is an interscholastic structure of multiple sports seasons that parallels the traditional interscholastic athletic system and supports the concept that school-based sports are a vital part of the education process and the educational goals of students.The sports featured in the adaptedSPORTS® Model have their origin in Paralympic and adult disability sports, however, they are innovative in that they are cross-disability in nature. AAASP has adapted these sports for the student-athlete based on their functional ability. By providing standardized competition rules, it is possible for the widespread implementation of an interscholastic adapted athletic system. Additionally, student athletes are developing the skills that can lead to participation at the collegiate, community and elite levels.
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Team composition
Teams are composed of students from schools within a particular district or collaborating districts, sometimes referred to as co-opts. Student participants may be enrolled at their home school or another school in the district in which they have been assigned. The district will select a centralized, accessible team venue. All practices and home contests will be held at this venue. Depending on the number of eligible students, a district may elect to field more than one team in any particular sport. If this is the case, a second venue may be necessary.AAASP has two divisions of play for its member teams - varsity and junior varsity. Teams are placed by AAASP in these divisions with input from the coordinator and coaches. This placement is based on many factors, such as the teams overall experience, years of play, and the functional ability of individual players.
Sports Seasons
AAASP's sport seasons follow a traditional school year starting with the fall season in August which runs until mid-November. The winter season usually runs from November to March. AAASP finishes off the school year with the spring season running from March through April or May. AAASP does not operate a summer season.The current list of sports offered by AAASP is as follows:
Fall:
- Wheelchair Handball (also called Indoor Wheelchair Soccer)
Winter:
- Wheelchair BasketballWheelchair basketballWheelchair basketball is basketball played by people in wheelchairs and is considered one of the major disabled sports practiced. The International Wheelchair Basketball Federation is the governing body for this sport. It is recognized by the International Paralympic Committee as the sole...
- Power SoccerPower SoccerFor the online multiplayer game, see Power ChallengePowerchair Football, also known as Power Soccer is a competitive team sport for people with disabilities who use power wheelchairs. The game is played in a gymnasium on a regulation basketball court...
Spring:
- Wheelchair FootballWheelchair Football (American)Wheelchair Footballis a fast-paced sport that is best played whenathletes are in maximum physical condition, and at the top of their gamein teamwork, strategy and wheelchair-handling skills for both manual wheelchair and power wheelchair users.-History:...
- Track and FieldTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
- Beep Baseball