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Sitrin to Host Paralympic Academy

New Hartford –Sitrin will host a New York State Paralympic Academy for wheelchair curling and wheelchair basketball in conjunction with the U.S. Paralympics, a division of the U.S. Olympic Committee. Students with physical disabilities between the ages of 12 and 18 are encouraged to participate in these free clinics.

The wheelchair curling clinic is scheduled for Sunday, January 20, 2008 from 2-5 p.m. at the Utica Curling Club, located at 8300 Clark Mills Road in Whitesboro. Members of Team USA who will be traveling to Switzerland in February for the World Wheelchair Curling Championships will be available to provide tips and strategy secrets. Several athletes are also past paralympians and members of Sitrin’s STARS (Success Through Adaptive and Recreational Sports) program.

The wheelchair basketball clinic is set for Monday, January 21, 2008 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center, located at 2310 Oneida Street in Utica. Several Sitrin STARS athletes will also participate in this clinic. Along with regular practices, they compete in the Celebrity Classic Wheelchair basketball game each year.

Sitrin is one of 50 organizations selected by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) to host a Paralympic Academy. This unique opportunity will introduce students throughout the state to adaptive sports, and allow them to interact with Paralympic athletes and coaches. According to Charlie Huebner, Chief of U.S. Paralympics, “The Paralympic Academy program encourages physical fitness and overall well-being in children with physical disabilities, and we are happy to be working with Sitrin on this initiative. Together, we will inspire and encourage more students with physical disabilities to be physically active.”

For more information, or to register for either clinic, feel free to contact Marc DePerno at (315) 797-3114, ext. 459.

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