National Junior Disability Championships

The National Junior Disability Championships (NJDC) is an annual Olympic-style sports competition for physically disabled youth, including (but not limited to) those with spina bifida, cerebral palsy, amputees, visually impaired/blind, dwarfism, and any other similar physical disabilities that impede movement/the ability to participate in non-adapted sportswas. NJDC has become one of the largest junior sporting competitions held in the United State for youth with physical disabilities. Held each year in a different city/state of the United States, NJDC attracts more than 250 athletes from all over the United States including several foreign countries.

Typically, competitions are held in track, field events (javelin, shotput, discus, club, softball throw), weightlifting, table tennis, archery, swimming, and sometimes boccia and 3-on-3 basketball.

Athletes can be from 7 – 21 years of age. Several Paralympic athletes started their career as competitors at the NJDC.^[1]

History

Junior disabled athlete Joey Chiavaroli, at the 2004 NJDC in Mesa, Arizona

Founded in 1984 by the Wheelchair & Ambulatory Sports, USA, witch held the first games in July of that year, with only three events The games are held every year in different host city in the United States. Each year Wheelchair & Ambulatory Sports, USA, who sanctions NJDC selects a host organization, who bids for or request to host NJDC in their home city the following year. ^[1]

Athletic events offered annually

Archery

Powerlifting
The NJDC powerlifting competition or weightlifting competition consists of both power and bench styles. Participants taking part in ether the powerlifting or bench weightlifting competitions compete together in the same weight and age classes. The individual athlete's disability is not taken into consideration in determining the individual's classification placement. For example Ambulatory athletes can compete against wheelchair athletes in their respected age a weight categories.^[2]

Swimming
The NJDC swimming competition offers both individual and relay events consisting of two swim courses, the swimming long course and the swimming short course. The events are listed as follows:

Swimming short course events

• Individual: 75IM, 100IM, 25 Breast, 25 Free, 25 Back, 25 Fly, 4X25 Free, and 4X25 Medley
• Relay: 200yd Free Relay, and 200 yd. Medley Relay

Swimming long course events

• Individual: 200m, 150IM, 200IM, 400IM, 100free, 50breast, 100breast, 50free, 50back, 100back, 200back, 50fly, 100fly, 200fly, 4X50free, 4Xmedley, and 400Free.^[3][4]

Table Tennis
Athletes participating in the NJDC table tennis competition compete according to skill level not disability. For example a wheelchair athlete can be paired up with a amblatory athlete opponent. The NJDC table tennis classifications ternament events are as follows:

• Individual
• Open
• Doubles
• Open novice play ^[2]

Track & Field (Athltics)
The NJDC Track and Field competition consist of both Ambulatory and Wheelchair events. Both the Ambullatory and wheelchair track events are held together based on event race. Typically, wheelchair athletes race together, preceded by the ambulatory athletes. The track events are listed as follows:

• Track events: 60m, 800m, 20m, 100m, 200m, 5000m, 400m 1500m, Relays, & 100m Open

The NJDC field events are organized into two categories field events for Ambulatory athletes and field events for wheelchair athletes, which are held separate from each other usually on different days. The field evemts are listed as follows:

• Ambulatory field events: discus, club throw, high jump, long jump, triple jump,javelin, softball throw, and shotput.
• Wheelchair field events: discus, club throw, javelin, shotput, and softball throw.^[2][3]

Athletic events offered occasionally

Exhibitions

Boccia

Hand Cycling
At NJDC, the hand cycling exhibition is event the offers particients the opportunity to try out hand cycling bike. Hand cycling bikes are usually provided by the event sponsoring organization or local adaptive sports/athletic organization. The hand cycling exhibition has been held as part of NJDC 2010 Deerfield, IL and NJDC 2014 Ames, Iowa.^[5]

Sitting volleyball
Sitting volleyball premiered for the first time at the 2013 NJDC in Rochester, Minnesota as a demonstration social event, led by former Paralympian Deb Vosler. The goal of the demonstration was to have youth learn to work together as team in a social setting while learning a completely new adaptive team sport at the same time. ^[6]

Wheelchair Basketball 3-on-3
NJDC Wheelchair Basketball 3-on-3 is a wheelchair basketball tournament utilizing half court play and consisting of three wheelchair athletes per team. The tournament was last held at the 2010 NJDC Games in Deerfield and Lake Forest, Illinois.^[2][7]

Clinics

Wheelchair Track Clinic
The Wheelchair Track Clinic or Track Camp is a two-day wheelchair racing track clinic held in partnership with Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF). The clinic is led by Adam Bleakney, Head Coach, Wheelchair Track & Road Racing, at the University of Illinois. During the clinic, participants work on the following aspects of wheelchair racing:

• Top Speed & SS Acceleration (asphalt and/or tail)
• Rolling Acceleration
• Stroke Mechanics Goal Setting Session
• Lactate & Speed Reserve
• SS & Endurance & Stamina
• Equipment Race Tactics

The Wheelchair Tack Clinic was last held at the 2015 NJDC held in Union County, New Jersey^[8][9]

Past host cities

References

External links

• Official website
• http://www.tswaa.com/2009%20NJDC.htm - Official website of the NJDC 2009
• http://www.njdc2010.org/ - Official website of the NJDC 2010
• http://2012njdc.blogspot.com/ - Official website of the NJDC 2012
• http://www.njdc2013.com/ - Official website of the NJDC 2013
• http://www.njdc2014.com/ - Official website of the NJDC 2014
• http://www.njdc2015nj.com - Official website of the NJDC 2015