Editor’s Note: VAntage Point is reporting from the 2014 National Veterans Sports Clinic, Sept. 7-12. This is the first a series of blogs from the event.
Veterans from across the United States arrived in San Diego and at Naval Base Coronado to participate in VA’s National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic (NVSSC). The week-long event, now in its seventh year, challenges and empowers Veterans with disabilities through activities such as surfing, cycling and kayaking with the help of volunteers and VA’s Adaptive Sports program.
“To the coaches and recreational therapists – your service to Veterans is invaluable,” VA Assistant Secretary for Operations, Security and Preparedness Kevin T. Hanretta said during the NVSSC opening ceremony at Coronado Theater. “You help Veterans to become stronger and to regain . I want to thank the Veteran athletes for coming here to compete, and showing us all what courage, drive and determination are all about.”
Hosted by VA San Diego Healthcare System, the clinic is designed to help Veterans with disabilities become physically active during their rehabilitation. For many Veterans, it’s a great way to find the camaraderie they miss from their time in the military, and to heal some of their invisible wounds by regaining confidence and self-worth.
This year, 130 Veterans, including 94 first-time participants, will try their hand at sports they might have considered impossible before the event.
For Theotis D. Smith, a U.S. Marine Corps and Army Veteran, the chance to represent both Veterans and employees of Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital at the clinic is the culmination of his rehabilitation journey.
“I’m extremely happy to be given this chance,” Smith said. “Before working with VA Adaptive Sports, I was just at home looking at four walls and depressed. Now my life has become a joy. I want to try every program VA offers.”
When asked what event he was most excited about, the Chicago native said he couldn’t wait to go sailing.
“I got to sail a few times in Chicago,” he said. “I have 10-inch rods running up and down my back, so when I got out on the water and look at what God created for us – all of my pain goes away.”
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Veterans and volunteers interested in registering online for the 43rd National Veterans Wheelchair Games (NVWG) can do so now through April 5, 2024.
Last year, Move United hosted 26 adaptive sports competitions in 22 states for 1,537 individual athletes. This year, that number is increasing to 35 events in 24 states for even more Veteran athletes.
Registration for the National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic (NVSSC) opens on Dec. 1, 2023, and runs through March 1, 2024. The 2024 NVSSC will take place August 25-30 in San Diego, California, offering an extended opportunity for Veterans to partake in adaptive sports.
Theo: I totally understand Warrior Friend, I’ve had a few surgeries myself two back that
may have ended in a Pain Pump. Until one Doctor in Texas asked what my background was in the Marine Corps when I told him Basically a Grunt 0300,0311, 0360 and 0302 with an B654 Class B MOS Parachute / SCUBA officer he had one of his assistants give me an MNPI. The results was that her decided that if I would started
doing physical things I did before I was injured that my personality was strong enough to over ride the pain, I thought he was crazy, until I started fishing / hunting and shooting Competitively. I have to wear Fentynal patches. However, my pain level has dropped to the level that allows me to be almost as physical as I was long before the back surgeries.