Martial Arts for People with Disabilities

by AbilityFirst, formerly the Crippled Children's Society

LOS ANGELES, CA
AbilityFirst's MindBodySpirit martial arts program which began in 1997 in Claremont and Pasadena reaches hundreds of children participating in the afterschool program and Pasadena LEARNS and has been expanded to include La Puente and the Inland Empire as well as the communities of Anaheim and Newport-Mesa in Orange County and the communities of Long Beach, Inglewood, East Los Angeles and Woodland Hills in Los Angeles County. The success of its programs and a grant from the Amateur Athletic Foundation has made this expansion possible. The martial arts program designed by the AbilityFirst affiliate MindBodySpirit aims to enrich the lives of individuals with physical, developmental or emotional special challenges by enhancing their strengths and teaching them tools to address their challenges.

The students range from 10-year-old Megan, who uses a wheelchair to Carlos, who faces the emotional challenges that arise from factors which place him "at risk" to Yvonne, an eager senior citizen with a developmental disability and physical problems while others have multiple physical disabilities.

Martial arts instruction has proven, over time, to generate determination and inspire confidence. Physical exercise is empowering; it increases flexibility, strength and mobility. However, the performance of technical martial arts skills is merely a vehicle. The correct performance of martial arts techniques requires concentration, memorization and sharpens the ability to process, integrate and sequence information. It calls upon the student to understand and recall. It teaches the student respond appropriately to instruction. It requires the student to respect him or herself and to cooperate with others. Students must perform a defined set of technical skills in order to achieve promotion in rank. In order to learn and perform these skills correctly, a student must meet specific behavioral standards. As new physical skills are acquired and behavioral objectives are met, students learn that they can set and achieve goals and become more self-sufficient. Equipped with deeper belief in themselves and enhanced self-sufficiency, children with physical, developmental or emotional challenges more successfully manage the barriers that are an undeniable part of their everyday lives. Their capacity for interacting meaningfully with their peers and their communities for resolving conflicts and for living independently is strengthened.

In the Spring of 1997, Daniel Nissimyan, then a 13 year old martial artist, was required to complete a community service project as part of becoming a Bar Mitzvah, the rite of passage in the Jewish religion in which a young person assumes the responsibilities of an adult in the Jewish community. Young Daniel proposed a six-week class teaching karate to children in the after-school program at the Claremont Center of the Crippled Children's Society (now AbilityFirst).

The AbilityFirst/MindBodySpirit Scholar Warrior program is in its third year in Pasadena LEARNS and has expanded into the ROWLAND Unified School District through its collaboration with OPTIONS, a provider of afterschool programming in several local school districts. The curriculum is the first of its kind, specifically linking martial arts and leadership instruction to academic standards.

The MindBodySpirit teaching philosophy is simple. Stephanie Ivler, VP of Strategic Operations at AbilityFirst and COO and co-founder of MindBodySpirit stated, "we strive to create an atmosphere conducive to excellence and then we step back to watch the children blossom. The martial arts program is uniquely designed for our very special students to teach sports skills, to foster success in attaining learning objectives to acquire constructive conflict resolution skills, and to experience the thrill of setting and achieving personal goals. Our instructors are selected for their hearts, i.e., their personal commitment to working with our students, as well as for their teaching experience and technical expertise."

Our dream
AbilityFirst's MindBodySpirit program purpose "is to reach as many individuals with special challenges as we are able to reach. We know that our students, equipped with deeper belief in themselves and enhanced self-sufficiency, will more successfully manage the barriers that are an undeniable part of their everyday lives."

About AbilityFirst
AbilityFirst, formerly the Crippled Children's Society, is one of Southern California's largest and oldest nonprofit social service organizations. For people of all ages with physical and developmental disabilities, AbilityFirst operates a network of 22 community recreation centers, employment workshops, year-round camps, and residential housing facilities (group homes and apartments, for assisted and independent living, respectively) in the five-county Los Angeles area. Through these venues, its skilled, professional staff administers a wide variety of vocational, recreational and social service programs for thousands of participants. AbilityFirst is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities and the American Camping Association. All facilities are licensed by the California Department of Social Services.

About MindBodySpirit
MindBodySpirit specializes in providing innovative martial arts training to children and adults with physical and developmental disabilities, especially those within after-school programs in the local community. The martial arts students routinely compete in local and national tournaments, including the USA National Karate-Do Federation National Karate Championships. They also perform frequently to the delight of audiences at meetings, conventions, and sports events.

About AbilityFirst, formerly the Crippled Children's Society:
For more information: AbilityFirst, formerly the Crippled Children's Society of Southern California 2555 E. Colorado Blvd., 2nd Floor, Pasadena, CA 91107 Tel: 626-396-1010 Contact: Steven Rosenthal Director of Public Relations Tel: 626-396-1010, X-351 Cell: 323-855-8374