Abby's PT (at school) has devoted a lot of time this year to her arm strength. We are starting to concede (a little) that her balance will only come so far. So with that concession made we have decided to do everything in our power to make her balance less of an issue. Strategy #1 is to improve her strength, specifically her upper body. Stronger arms mean better ability to hold on and better ability to brace for impact during falls. It isn't great on her arms but it sure helps her head.
We have seen some very small incremental changes throughout the year but nothing too major... until this weekend. The NJ weather has been extremely kind this winter so we have been able to enjoy lots of outside time. This weekend the four of us were in the driveway playing basketball. Our next door neighbor (we share a driveway) has a full size hoop and we put a kiddie hoop next to it.
The girls were taking turns throwing their little ball into the small hoop. We quickly realize, much to our dismay, that tiny way kicking Grace's butt at throwing a basketball. Bear in mind that Grace is an incredible athlete. She is fast and strong and oddly coordinated for a four and a half year old. And yet, Abby was throwing the basketball with better control and accuracy than her "bigger" sister. You could have knocked me over with a feather.
So it seems the hours and hours of work are starting to pay off. Now if we can get her to grow a little maybe she'll have a future in the WNBA. ;D
Cool! Think about wheelchair basketball. Many of the athletes only use wheelchairs to play the sport. It's perfectly appropriate to be ambulatory and participate in wheelchair sports. It's a great team activity!
ReplyDeleteAnon - I had no idea that was the case. How cool! While she is awesome at shooting once she tries to run and shoot it's a disaster. :D
ReplyDeleteStill anon cause I don't know how to login. :). Wheelchair players call 'regular' basketball stand up ball. Lots of kids will play stand up when they are young, and find that eventually they can't quite keep up with the pace of the game. Playing both really creates an advantage for those athletes, as they tend to get a better understanding of the game. The most desirable Wheelchair players are those with function in their waist. They tend to have better control of their chair and greater balance and strength. It's also a popular game for adults who are injured later in life - amputees and military vets. It's a very athletic game, and gives kids that opportunity to be part of a team - so many valuable experiences in teams. And....by percent of players, scholarship opportunities for wheelchair ball players is high! You can dream, right? There are many wheelchair sports available, so if she's athletic and a little competitive, she can find a common ground in a sport she loves. Just teach her to recognize the chair as a piece of sports equipment (we buy our athletes great shoes, bats, bicycles....). I'm a huge fan of wheelchair sports!
ReplyDeleteI guess I just never thought about it before. We see her as so clumsy that competitive sports just weren't on the horizon. It's good to have a reminder that she truly can accomplish whatever she wants if she puts her mind to it. :D
ReplyDeleteNow I am playing basketball hoping my team will win today- The Girl abby Fescoe
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