Pediatric Community Recreation Programs

Many factors contribute to the quality of your child’s health. As important as your child’s direct medical care and therapies are, it’s also important for your child to have fun, hang out with friends, learn new skills, and get some exercise. Mary Free Bed’s pediatric community recreation therapists work with area agencies to provide recreation programs for Mary Free Bed’s past and present patients as well as for other children in the community.

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Sports Programs and Clinics

Mary Free Bed/BlazeSports Adaptive Rock Climbing Clinic – February

Contact: Kelly Merz
616.356.1861
One clinic is held every February at Grand Valley State University Climb Center. Individuals are assessed individually to determine if adaptive equipment is needed. Participants must be at least 10 years old to participate. Physician approval is required with registration form. 

Downhill Ski Clinic – February

Contact: Brie Taylor
616.242.0350
P.O. Box 1683
Grand Rapids, MI 49501
Email: ski_ccsa@hotmail.com or www.skiccsa.org
Downhill skiing is available to individuals with various types of disabilities including spinal cord injury, visual impairment, sensory impairment, amputee, brain injury, stroke, and developmental disabilities. The sport offers a physical workout, social networking, and an exciting winter recreational activity. Professional volunteers, provided by the Cannonsburg Challenged Ski Association (CCSA), a chapter of Disabled Sports/USA, will be working specifically with you. Contact CCSA for more information.

Bikes for the Rest of Us – Last Saturday in April

Contact: Maria Besta
616.242.0352

The bikes event is geared toward children and adults with disabilities to introduce them to adaptive biking. Participants are individually paired with a therapist and evaluated to determine the needed adaptations to participate in the sport of biking. Vendors from Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio and provide bikes to trial.

Train for the 5/3 River Bank Run Junior Wheelchair Division – May

Youth ages 5-13 who have physical disabilities can attend this training event for the junior wheelchair division of the 5/3 River Bank Run. This is a fun, non-competitive "wheel around the track." Children with disabilities who walk on a daily basis, but who don't have the endurance or skills to participate in the fun run at a walking or running level can use a manual wheelchair to participate. All participants will receive a t-shirt and finishing ribbon. To be added to a mailing list for information on the junior wheelchair division of the River Bank Run, call 616.242.9254.

Junior Golf Clinic – June

Contact: Jenny Baweja
616.242.0443

The Adaptive Golf Clinic is open to teens, ages 13-18, who have a physical disability and who are interested in learning the mechanics of golf swings, balance, and stance as well as the use of adaptive equipment and techniques. Bring your own clubs if you have them.

Wheelchair Tennis – summer (beginners' team); year round (advanced team)

Competitive singles or doubles tennis opportunities for participants ages 7-18 who are full- or part-time wheelchair users. Participation involves weekly practice and playing in singles or doubles meets.

Wheelchair Sports Camp – July

This five-day camp introduces youth with physical disabilities to a variety of adapted sports, including wheelchair basketball, hockey, swimming, golf, tennis, rock climbing, road racing, and upper extremity cycling. The sports camp, held at Grand Valley State University, is for participants ages 7-18 with a variety of physical disabilities.

Mary Free Bed/BlazeSports Adaptive Water Ski Clinic – July and August

Contact: Val Romeo
616.656.5275
Held every summer in July and August, the clinics focus on introduction to skiing from either sitting or standing. Individuals must be at least 13 years of age in order to participate. Physician approval is required with registration form.  

Junior Pacers Wheelchair Basketball Team – September - March

Junior Pacers is a partner program of Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital and the Grand Rapids Wheelchair Sports Association. This is a competitive sports program for full- or part-time wheelchair users; most participants have amputations, cerebral palsy, or spina bifida. Team participation involves local and away games, travel around Michigan and the United States, and competition in a national tournament. There are 8 -foot and 10-foot teams (basket height) and participants practice weekly. Participation in the program offers potential for college athletic scholarships for top athletes discovered through college-level wheelchair sports scouts attending tournaments and camp.

Eagles Disabled Sports Team – October -  May

The Eagles Disabled Sports Team offers team and individual competition opportunities and is sanctioned by the Michigan and National Disability Sports Alliances. Most participants have cerebral palsy or spina bifida. Participants practice weekly; local and away competitive meets involve travel around the state and culminate in Victory Games State Tournament held annually at MSU in East Lansing.  Grand Rapids Eagles provides athletic training and sports opportunities for people with physical disabilities in track and field, slalom, bowling, cycling, cross country, power soccer, bocce ball, power lifting, and more. All skill levels are encouraged to join the team. This program is for participants between the ages of 7 and 18.

Sled Hockey – November - February

Sled hockey is a partner program of Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital and the Grand Rapids Griffins Youth Foundation. This sports program is for both competitive and recreational athletes and is open to individuals with lower-limb affected disabilities such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida, paralysis, or amputation. Participants practice weekly on Saturdays; local and away games are played in and outside of Michigan. This program enables kids with physical disabilities to utilize a sled for competitive hockey. Participants must be at least 7 years of age.

Recreation Programs

Parent-Tot Swim Lessons – classes scheduled when 4 children are registered

The Parent-Tot Swim Program, for ages 18 months to 4 years, focuses mainly on water acclimation and beginning skills. Lessons are for children with various diagnoses and are for five lessons per sessions. In-water participation of parent or caregiver required.

Adaptive Swim Lessons – year round with brief breaks between sessions

Children progress through American Red Cross swim levels and earn cards as skill requirements are achieved for each level. The program's goal is to transition children to community pool and swim programs as soon as possible. Lessons are offered on a weekly basis on three different nights per week; there are five lessons per session.

Special Events

Adaptive swim lessons offer a ratio of 1:1 or 1:2 therapists per child. Lessons are offered to children ages 4-18 who have a physical disabilities and need individualized swim instruction, adapted equipment, or therapeutic pool temperature for spasticity. Diagnoses generally include cerebral palsy, autism, or spina bifida.

Dr. Swanson’s Annual Christmas Party – December 

Dr. Swanson's Annual Christmas Party provides children ages 4-7 and their families an opportunity to make Christmas crafts, visit with Santa, and enjoy entertainment, including singing Christmas carols in a barrier-free environment.

Dreams and Wings

Dreams and Wings provides children and adolescents, ages 4-18, with disabilities or serious illnesses an opportunity to take a 20-minute plane ride at 1,500 feet in a small aircraft. The event is limited to 50 participants who may each bring 1-2 guests.

Contact Mary Free Bed's Pediatric Community Therapeutic Recreation

Please call or email for information on any of these programs.

Phone

616.242.0352

Email

PedsCommunityRec@MaryFreeBed.com