Jan. 31, 2012
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State Ability Athletics program is excited to announce a collaboration with the Navy Safe Harbor Army Wounded Warriors to host adaptive athletes this weekend in several disciplines. In addition to the sports, a basketball clinic will be hosted on Sunday, while athletes will also participate in swimming and track & field.
On Saturday, in conjunction with the Penn State Sykes-Sabock Challenge Cup, the Ashenfelter III Indoor Track will host the first set of events of the weekend. From there, athletes will also participate at McCoy Natatorium during Penn State's dual meet with Lehigh and Saint Francis (Pa.). The Sykes-Sabock Challenge Cup runs all day at the Ashenfelter III Track, while swimming kicks off at 1:00 p.m. There will be adaptive athlete swimming exhibitions taking part during the breaks in the Nittany Lion swimming & diving dual meet.
The basketball clinic will be hosted at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday at the Ashenfelter Track. The two-hour clinic will feature seated basketball players from the community and the Navy Safe Harbor. In addition to the Navy's participation, members of the Army wounded warriors will also take part in select track & field events including the shot put. Interspersed with the Sykes-Sabock Challenge Cup will be wheelchair races in the 60-meter, 200-meter and 500-meter competitions. A total list of events across all facilities is listed below, including Sunday's track & field practice and a nutrition.
The Navy Safe Harbor oversees many facets of caring for Navy Veterans. Namely, the Safe Harbor's mission statement reads, "Navy Safe Harbor is the Navy's organization for coordinating the non-medical care of seriously wounded, ill, and injured Sailors, Coast Guardsmen, and their families. Through proactive leadership, the program provides a lifetime of individually tailored assistance designed to optimize the success of shipmates' recovery, rehabilitation, and reintegration activities."
This special venture between Penn State and Navy Safe Harbor is one of the first between the military organization and a college athletic department. This unique partnership allows Penn State and the Navy to better support adaptive athletes across the region and promote ability athletics awareness.
Penn State is one of the top adaptive programs in the nation sending multiple Paralympians to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. PSU is once again set to send several more Paralympians to the 2012 London Games this summer.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Saturday, Feb. 4 (Various Sites)
9:30 a.m. - Seated Shot Put, Ashenfelter Track
Noon - Army/Navy Shot Put, Ashenfelter Track
Various Times - 60-meter, 200-meter, 800-meter Wheelchair Events, Ashenfelter Track
2:30 p.m.* - 50-yard Freestyle and 50-yard Backstroke Swimming, McCoy Natatorium
3:45 p.m.* - 100-yard Freestyle Swimming, McCoy Natatorium
* -- Events in line with Penn State swimming & diving meet. Arrive early in case the meet runs quick.
Sunday, Feb. 5 (All at Ashenfelter Track)
10 a.m. - Track & Field Practice
Noon - Nutrition Talk & Lunch
1:00 p.m. - Basketball Clinic
--NITTANY LIONS--