As disability sports gain more attention, media exposure, sponsorships and funding, the pool of elite-level coaches for disability sport grows. What is desperately needed, however, are entry-level volunteers to coach the grassroots programs that first introduce children with disabilities to adapted sports. At first glance, the idea of coaching a child with a disability may seem daunting. However, there are many more similarities than differences in coaching children with and without disabilities.

One of the similarities is the age range of the children. Parents with children as young as four seek adapted sports programs and recreational opportunities. Once a child gets involved, it is up to each program, family and coach to determine the age at which the coaching emphasis is transitioned from recreation to competition. Factors that will play into this decision include the sport that is being coached or played, the overall philosophy of the program, the child's future goals, and the ability to find local competition.

Hard copies of the full factsheet are available by calling NCHPAD at 800-900-8086, and see the web-based version at http://www.ncpad.org/399/2182/Coaching~Adapted~Sports.