Page 55 - September 2017 The Castle Pines Connection

CastlePinesConnection.com 55 The National Sports Center for the Disabled hosts free
golf ability clinic at beautiful Sanctuary golf course
Information and photo provided by Maria Miller
The National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD) hosted its 30th Annual Hal O’Leary Golf Classic at Sanctuary golf course on July 26 and brought together nearly 100 men and women of all abilities to raise funds for the nonprofit.
The morning of the golf tournament, the NSCD kicked off the day with a free golf ability clinic where more than 20 children with cognitive and/or physical disabilities took golf lessons. The participants learned everything from how to hold the golf club and hit a golf ball off the tee to learning the ins and outs of putting. The NSCD hosts ability clinics throughout the year in partnership with Denver pro-sport teams. These free, interactive clinics feature sport drills adapted to individuals ages 5 and older who have any type of disability.
The NSCD is recognized around the world as the premier therapeutic recreation organization providing leadership and expertise in adaptive sports. Each year, more than 3,000 children
and adults with disabilities participate in year- round sports, from recreational programs to competitive training through the NSCD. In fact, in 2018, the NSCD plans to send more than 10 athletes to South Korea to compete in the Winter Paralympics.
The NSCD began in 1970 with a group of patients from Children's Hospital of Denver.
Participants from the National Sports Center for the Disabled learned golf skills at Sanctuary golf course as part of the 30th Annual Hal O’Leary Golf Classic in July.
Today, the NSCD is one of the largest outdoor therapeutic recreation agencies in the world. Each year, thousands of children and adults with disabilities take to the ski slopes, mountain trails and playing fields to learn more about sports and themselves. With specially trained staff and its own adaptive equipment lab, the NSCD teaches a variety of winter and summer sports and activities
to individuals with almost any physical, cognitive, emotional or behavioral diagnosis. For more information about the NSCD, visit www.nscd.org or like them on Facebook for updates about their programs and athletes.