March 2004 Table of Contents

COVER STORY:
Reach for the Sky

In the world of extreme sports, rock climbing may be one of the milder activities compared to bungee jumping and skydiving. But don't sell it short—it provides an amazing adrenaline rush.

Mastering Mobility �
The Present & Beyond

22nd Annual Survey of Lightweight Wheelchair Manufacturers! We have so many choices these days. When you�re looking for a product, it is sometimes overwhelming to see how much is out there in the marketplace. But what do you do when you need something as important as your daily mobility device? Where do you go�and how can you be sure you�re seeing the right chair for you?

Milestones & Memories

Seven soldiers who returned from Iraq spent a week on Colorado's ski slopes. Some were experienced and others were newcomers, but their common bond was their recent disabilities due to the war.

Ghana Glory

Americans—even those with disabilities—often take their country and its great wealth for granted. Some athletes from Ghana recently received a small taste of the U.S.'s riches.

A Tough Bite

Less-than-perfect conditions didn't keep anglers from finding fish and taking trophies.

In My Opinion

Editor Cliff Crase reports on a special and historic event: the awarding of varsity letters to pioneering wheelchair athletes who participated in the University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics' adaptive-sports program from 1948 to 1976. There's also a "well, maybe?" attempt by the SNS Gang of Guessers to predict this year's National Wheelchair Basketball Tournament Division I champs.

Juniors

For the first time in U.S. history, interscholastic wheelchair-basketball teams participated in the time-honored tradition of high-school basketball championships. In this issue you'll read about that event, as well as upcoming summer camps for kids with disabilities, a summer series of junior basketball tournaments, and the Wheelchair Soccer Junior Nationals.

Players

Here's the story of how Chicago RIC Blackhawks sled hockey player Sylvester Flis became reportedly the first athlete with a disability to be featured on a professional sport card.

Hunting

In this issue, read about a new standup wheelchair available to hunters with disabilities, a first-hand report on an African safari, the donation of a Huntmaster hydraulic elevated deer stand, and a camp in Alabama that hosted a whitetail deer hunt.

Scorecard

Find out when and how Paralympic team members are being selected. There are also reports on the Huntsman Cup and Valdosta Cup ski competitions, and the Honolulu Marathon, as well as a list of the top-ranked teams in the National Wheelchair Basketball Association and a schedule of upcoming America Series track and road races.

Shooting

Men and women, experts and novices, wheelers and walkers enjoyed the camaraderie and competition at the fourth stop on the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) National Trapshoot Circuit. The event—open to all shooters—took place at a range north of Phoenix.

Playbook

Jeff Pagels offers his view on what it takes to climb Tanzania's Mt. Kilimanjaro (Africa), and Randy Snow describes his experiences teaching a tennis camp in Bolivia. There's also news about three adventurers with disabilities who pedaled the entire 105-mile White Rim Trail in Utah, a listing of rail-trails available for exploring, and a new sports chair from Invacare.

Timeout

Jen Howitt, manager and captain of the Washington, D.C., women's wheelchair basketball team, asks readers to put aside their "No! Never!" reactions and consider: Has the time come to alter NWBA bylaws and rules to allow women without disabilities to participate in wheelchair basektball in the Women's Division as class IV players?

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