Pennsylvania Center for Adapted Sports

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Pennsylvania Center for Adapted Sports | PCAS

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Pennsylvania Center for Adapted Sports

For decades, PCAS has been a leader in providing adapted sports to persons with disabilities.

Administered from its office on Boathouse Row in Philadelphia, PCAS currently operates 13 sport-and-wellness programs year-round, with a focus on building inclusive communities with barrier-free and supportive settings.

The first two adaptive sports venues of today’s PCAS were Philadelphia Adapted Rowing, founded in 1981, and the PA Adapted Ski program founded in 1982.

By providing an outlet for recreational and competitive sports activities, these programs completely transformed the landscape for persons with disabilities.

Since officially incorporating in 1995, PCAS has expanded tremendously, increasing sports programs, participants, and its geographical reach. PCAS sports now include: cycling (tandem and hand), climbing, kayaking, rowing (indoor and sculling), skiing, sitting volleyball, yoga, swimming, hockey, triathlon, youth ski camp, and youth track and field. Our cycling program has expanded from our Philadelphia and Chester County locations to include a site in Wilmington, Delaware.

Our programs include people with spinal cord injuries, amputations, spina bifida, stroke, visual impairments and more.

With PCAS programs, people living with disabilities in our community have a place to have fun, to exercise, to compete, to socialize, to meet new friends, to be visible, and to fully take part in all aspects of their community. Our athletes derive all the benefits of sport participation, including better health, improved self-esteem, dynamic social interactions and most importantly being a team member and active in their community.

Our programs help participants build and maintain strength and function, improve emotional health, and develop lifelong friendships through engagement in sports and recreation in the community.

For all our participants, we provide equipment, venues, instruction, training, a team of peers and a capable group of encouraging volunteers. We offer children and adults a place where they can explore their abilities.

We especially strive to create opportunities for veterans and young athletes, including helping schools add adaptive sports programs and sustain a vibrant Para Sports culture.

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Adaptive Skiing

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