People with a disability who get involved in sport are first and foremost athletes, and they have the same basic needs, drive, and dreams as any other athlete. And, for them as well, coaching is a crucial factor to the quality of their sport experience.
Many coaches who have never worked with athletes with a disability feel that, to be effective, they need highly specialized skills, knowledge, or training. This is a misperception. In fact, most coaches who work with athletes with a disability soon discover that coaching these participants is fundamentally no different than coaching any other athlete. The challenge is to truly understand the person, to focus on their abilities, and to see what they can achieve.
The downloadable manual here is a coaches guide to help coaching athletes with disabilities.
