Reach for the STARS.
Sitrin STARS (Success Through Adaptive Recreation and Sports) is an innovative adaptive sports and recreation program that provides people with physical disabilities opportunities to lead full and active lives.
The STARS philosophy: Stay active, stay well.
Established in 2001, the program grew out of the knowledge that, once their rehabilitation regimen is complete, individuals with disabilities still need recreational and social activities in order to stay healthy, both physically and emotionally. STARS is part of Sitrin’s overall mission to:
- Rehabilitate bodies
- Rejuvenate minds
- Renew spirits
…by helping participants stay active in a supportive, caring environment.
We believe that physical activity and social interaction are vital to everyone’s good health and well-being. That is why everyone can participate in STARS, and we encourage you to get involved.
Program benefits.
Participation in the Sitrin STARS program helps you improve:
- Endurance
- Balance
- Strength
- Coordination
- Range of motion
- Socialization
- Self-esteem
Activities.
STARS offers you the opportunity to participate in a variety of adaptive sports programs, including:
Basketball – The STARS wheelchair basketball team features a year-round schedule of practices and games, including competition with regional teams and community groups. The annual Sitrin Celebrity Classic Wheelchair Basketball Game features local celebrities and other prominent people who take to wheelchairs to compete against the Sitrin STARS.
Curling – During the winter, STARS offers wheelchair curling in conjunction with the Utica Curling Club (UCC), which operates one of the country’s premier curling facilities. The STARS team won the 2004 United States Curling Association’s National Wheelchair Championship and represented the United States at the 2005 World Wheelchair Curling Championship in Braehead, Scotland. They regularly take part in national and international competitions.
Golf – The STARS golf program is offered at Stonebridge Golf and Country Club in New Hartford. An adaptive golf cart is available for use by program participants. The STARS program also plays host to the annual First Swing/Learn to Golf seminar and clinic, sponsored by the National Amputee Golf Association and the PGA.
Paddling – STARS adaptive paddling is offered each summer to athletes of all ages and abilities. The program features several workshops presented by American Canoe Association-certified instructors, who train participants in proper adaptive paddling techniques and safety procedures.
Road Racing – Each year, the STARS program trains competitors for the Wheelchair Division of America’s biggest 15K road race, The Boilermaker. STARS athletes have also participated in and won the Boilermaker Wheelchair Challenge, receiving their own customized racing wheelchair as a prize.
STARS Shine.
Those who have participated in Sitrin’s STARS program have accomplished a great deal in the course of its brief history. Here are some highlights:
Championships
STARS Athletes have competed at World Championships in…
- Switzerland
- Scotland
- Sweden
- Italy (2006 Paralympic Winter Games)
- In February 2008, the national team (comprised of 4 STARS athletes) competed in the 2008 World Championships in Sursee, Switzerland
Awards and Achievements
- STARS athlete Augusto Perez received the Sportsmanship Award at the 2007 World Wheelchair Curling Championship for his professionalism both on and off the ice.
- The US Wheelchair Curling Team, comprised of STARS athletes, won the bronze medal at the 2008 World Wheelchair Curling Championships, the first medal in US history.
- STARS athlete Danell Libby received the 2006 United States Paralympic Spirit Award for her excellence as an athlete with a physical disability.
- Nine STARS athletes completed the Boilermaker 15K Sitrin Wheelchair Challenge in less than two hours and 15 minutes.
- In 2007, STARS Director Marc DePerno was named the United States Curling Association’s (USCA) Director of Outreach and Development for Wheelchair Curling. In this capacity, he will create and develop wheelchair curling programs across the United States.
- Because of DePerno’s participation in the USCA, Sitrin is the first health care center in New York State to be designated as a founding partner of the Paralympic Sports Club by the United States Olympic Committee.
Learn more.
For more information about the STARS program or to inquire about a particular sport:
