Veterans Wheelchair Games
2010 National Veterans Wheelchair Games
Denver, Colorado
July 4-8, 2010
The 2010 National Veterans Wheelchair Games were held in Denver, Colorado, July 4-8. The largest annual wheelchair sports competition in the world, this event offers 17 different sports to Veterans who use wheelchairs due to spinal cord injuries, amputations and neurological diseases.
The Games promote rehabilitation through rigorous competition in such events as basketball, rugby, softball, handcycling and others.
A special “Kids Day” program allows children with disabilities to meet the athletes and be introduced to wheelchair sports.
While past Games have produced national and world-class champions, the Games also provide opportunities for newly disabled Veterans to gain sports skills and be exposed to other wheelchair athletes.
History of the National Veterans Games
The National Veterans Wheelchair Games is an outgrowth of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ historic involvement in wheelchair sports.
Wheelchair sports had their beginning in the aftermath of World War II, when young disabled veterans began playing wheelchair basketball in VA hospitals throughout the United States. Interest in wheelchair basketball soon spread to other sports such as track and field, bowling, swimming, and archery, spawning the formation of several associations devoted to new and innovative wheelchair sports.
While the participation of paralyzed and other disabled veterans continued to flourish during the intervening years, it was not until 1980, when the VA established a Recreation Therapy Service, that VA’s efforts brought about an enhanced awareness of the rehabilitative value of wheelchair athletics. Since then, VA therapists have used wheelchair sports as a therapeutic tool for treating disabled veterans.
The first National Veterans Wheelchair Games were held in 1981, the “International Year of Disabled Persons,” at the VA Medical Center in Richmond, Va. That year, 74 veterans from 14 states competed in sports ranging from table tennis and billiards, to swimming and weightlifting.
Those first Games established an enduring trait that has characterized the event ever since — a strong sense of common identity and camaraderie among the participants. The hundreds of veterans who choose to compete in the Games each year demonstrate their continuing popularity.
Track and Field Veteran Games athletes Quintin Stephens and Lee Williams, pictured left, have participated in many Veterans Games over the years. Their friendship and mutual respect runs deep. In fact they are have become great mentors to young veterans participating in the Games for the first time.
By 1985, the growing size, complexity, and resources needed for the Games presented a daunting challenge to VA medical centers hosting the program. Recognizing that most of the athletes were paralyzed veterans, the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) offered to become a co-sponsor. To help obtain resources needed to host this national event, PVA recruited corporations to join in support of the Games. Since 1985, PVA's corporate sponsor program has helped the Games grow, both in number of competitors as well as variety of sports offered.
In 1987, 12 British military veterans were invited to participate in the Games, and a team from Great Britain has come every year since. The National Veterans Wheelchair Games represent the largest annual wheelchair sports event in the world. In 2009, 513 wheelchair athletes came from 45 states, Puerto Rico, and Great Britain to compete at the Games in Spokane, Washington.
The 2010 Games held in Denver, Colorado, July 4-8, were hosted by VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System and the Mountain States Chapter of PVA. Both VA and PVA are committed to the rehabilitation of disabled veterans through these Games, and they will continue their efforts to make the National Veterans Wheelchair Games more challenging and rewarding every year.
Pictured right is Quintin Stephens in front of the National Veterans Wheelchair Games banner.
IIOS is honored to assist several of our great veterans so that their experience at the Games is enhanced. We became involved with the National Veterans Wheelchair Games in 2009, when Dr. Fred Sorrells served as the caregiver for Quintin Stephens.
Quintin Stephens
Quintin Stephens received a spinal cord injury during his service with the Marines in 1981. He started wheelchair racing in 1983 as part of his therapy program. He has faithfully participated in the National Veterans Wheelchair Games since and accumulated countless metals in track and field events. His athletic achievements in recent years have attracted the sponsorship of the Challenged Athletes Foundation.
During the 2009 Spokane National Veterans Wheelchair Games, Quintin competed in track events and won four gold medals.
Beau Derek, picured above with Fred Sorrells and Quintin Stephens, is a longtime supporter of the National Veterans Wheelchair Games
IIOS continued their tradition of honoring our veterans by once again assisting several athletes during the 2010 Denver National Veterans Wheelchair Games. Dr. Sorrells served as coach/caregiver for Quintin Stephens and Ken Schoenlein.
Pictured right, Dr. Sorrells assists Quintin as he prepares to practice the club throw prior to his field competition.
Quintin won gold medals in 100 meter, 200 meter, and 400 meters and discus throw. He won a silver medal in the club throw.
Pictured left, Fred Sorrells and Quintin Stephens with celebrities at Awards Ceremony
Ken Schoenlein
IIOS was also honored to assist Alaska based archery and track and field wheelchair athlete, Ken Schoenlein.
Pictured at right, Ken Schoenlein uses a specially designed throws chair to throw the shotput.
Dr. Sorrells assisted Ken get to the competition venue and coached him to his best performance ever.
Ken is also a very capable wheelchair archery competitor, and he competed very capably in both the 30 meters and 50 meters archery competition.
IIOS congratulates the more than 500 veterans who competed in the 2010 Denver National Wheelchair Games. It was a unique privilege to assist two of the greatest veterans, Quintin Stephens and Ken Schoenlein. God bless our veterans and God bless America!