Next generation of Paralympians grow their skills at the Nubability Athletic All Sports Camp

DU QUOIN, Ill. (KBSI) – NubAbility Athletics Foundation held their 12th paralympic event July 18 through July 21 opening the camp up to over 135 limb-different child athletes and 80 different limb-different coaches.

The camp opens its door up to any child age four to 17 with congenital or traumatic limb differences, frozen limb or highly mobile cerebral palsy are invited to attend the camp to work with other limb-different athletes to practice alongside others showcasing their skills.

Coaches and campers share their experiences at the camp and what it means to them. Hazel Bluth is a first year camper. She explains what the camp means to her saying.

“I think it means a lot to me because you just get to meet a lot of like people with limb differences,” said Bluth.

She says when she practiced at the camps all she could think was “like wow I didn’t know there were so many (people with limb-differences) out there.”

“I think the most enjoyable part is just meeting new people with limb differences,” she said about her favorite part of camp.

Grover Siegel is a former camper himself and now coaches’ basketball at the Nubabaility athletic camp. He talks about his story discovering the camp for his first time.

“It was incredible, said Siegel. “I remember how my mom told me about this camp. She phrased the question I can either play sports with people who have hands like hers or hands like mine and apparently I just immediately said hands like mine. And that was how it got started and it was incredible to see people like me playing sports at such a high level it was just nothing I’d ever seen before. I had never seen anyone like me represented and I came to this place where everyone  looked like me.”

Other coaches with the organization for many years discuss the opportunity they have been given to help mentor these young kids and work with them to become the best version of themselves and not allow anything to hold them back.

Brett Petersen is a soccer coach for NubAbility.

“It’s amazing,” said Petersen. “Just getting the opportunity to mentor these kids, it goes beyond just sports you know. We do the sports because it’s fun you know and like it’s a great thing to do as a kid and maybe you go to college and do it. Beyond that the whole mentorship program is amazing here. I mean you’re not going to find anywhere else where you have this many people with missing limbs you know so it’s a great mentorship program and I think that’s the best thing about it.”

Grover Siegel says it’s been incredible to watch the program continue to expand while also sticking to their roots.

“I mean it’s an incredible experience,” said Seigel. “This entire foundation organization, it means so much to me. I’ve been coming here since I was so young. It’s been great to see how the camp has changed molded and became a stronger community while still keeping its roots and helping kids like me with limb differences learn how to play sports.”

If you are interested in getting involved with NubAbility Athletics contact Julie Grosse at Julie@nubability.org.