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Gov. Jon S. Corzine today signed legislation
Assembly members Fred Scalera, Joan Voss and Vincent Prieto
sponsored to direct the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic
Association to actively develop competitive sports programs
for youths with disabilities.
"Kids with disabilities who aspire to play sports should get every opportunity
to do so," said Scalera (D-Essex/Bergen/Passaic). "All
children, regardless of physical disabilities, intellectual
disabilities or impairments, should be able to enjoy the
exhilaration of sports and enjoy the thrill of competition."
The Scalera/Voss/Prieto law (A-930) intends to help foster
partnerships among different school districts that are large
enough to field teams of students who can play "adapted sports" in competitions
that are based on mainstream sports but modified to meet
the needs of those with cognitive or physical disabilities.
The lawmakers noted the law particularly benefits school
districts that are serving increased numbers of children
with autism and other developmental disabilities or handicaps.
The law also directs the NJSIAA to work with the American
Association of Adapted Sports Programs to establish interscholastic
athletic programs for student athletes with physical disabilities
or visual impairments or support the efforts of participating
school districts that implement adapted athletics programs.
"Adapted athletic programs will grant children with physical or cognitive
disabilities the same opportunity to enjoy the benefits and values of participating
in high school sports competitions that other student-athletes enjoy," said
Voss (D-Bergen). "It is widely recognized that high school athletics can
play a vital role in a student's development," said Prieto (D-Hudson). "Adapted
sports would help children who live with a variety of challenges meet their full
potential." The NJSIAA is a voluntary, nonprofit organization
of 425 accredited public, private and parochial high schools
in the state. The organization sets forth the rules and regulations
governing high school athletics to equalize competition for
member schools. The NJSIAA conducts tournaments and crowns
champions in 31 sports.
Based in Georgia, where its nationally lauded model began, the
AAASP
is a national organization committed to
promoting programs for student-athletes with disabilities.
There is evidence that such programs can significantly impact
students with disabilities through positive identity formation,
enhanced academic performance and better health. "This is an economic and moral win for New Jersey," according
to Bev Vaughn,
AAASP
Cofounder and Executive Director. "Especially for the
student who has a physical or sensory impairment, there may be infrequent or
no opportunity locally to engage in the same regularly offered, programs
the rest of us take for granted and which benefit us physically, emotionally
and socially. New Jersey has taken the first important step toward planning
and implementing programs that will lead to real reductions in health care costs
for these families from preventable, secondary conditions arising
from sedentary lifestyles."
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Piloted in Head Start
Centers, CATCH Early Childhood is designed to promote physical activity and healthy food choices in children
ages 3-5.