Iowa UCEDD Partnerships Help Bring Paralympic Gold to Team USA
March 31, 2014
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When Team USA captured the sled hockey gold medal at the Paralympics in Sochi on March 15, veteran staff members from the Center for Disabilities and Development (CDD), Iowa's UCEDD, experienced a particularly strong sense of satisfaction. They recognized that in a small yet meaningful way, the UCEDD played a part in this achievement.
In 1994, the Iowa Department of Human Services subcontracted with CDD to convene the Conner Training Consortium. The Consortium, which came into being as the result of a consent decree settlement of a class action lawsuit filed against the state of Iowa on behalf of individuals with disabilities residing in Iowa's two Resource Centers, brought together stakeholders with expertise in addressing the needs of the target population. Over time, Consortium members adopted the tag line, "Building Supportive Communities," recognizing that efforts to accomplish this mission would benefit the general disability population. The Consortium's funding of mini-grant proposals proved an effective strategy for empowering individuals and organizations across Iowa to assist their communities in becoming supportive and inclusive of persons with disabilities.
In 1998, the Training Consortium funded a proposal from the Quad City Sled Hockey Association (TQCSHA), a recently-formed nonprofit organization based in Davenport, Iowa. Funds were utilized for marketing, ice time, and mileage reimbursement for a Chicago team to come to Davenport to demonstrate sled hockey and provide an opportunity for persons with disabilities to experience the sport first-hand. Since that first demonstration, TQCSHA has brought over 120 individuals to the sport, including 2014 Paralympic gold medalists Andy Yohe and Kevin McKee.
"When asked what I wanted to gain by starting a sled hockey league in the Quad Cities, I said that I hoped to one day go to the airport and shake the hand of an athlete bound for the Paralympics," said Joe Lambert, who, with his wife Sue, founded TQCSHA. "I've been fortunate to do that three times now. Sue and I can't take credit for the skills which these athletes have developed, but we can say that we opened their eyes to the possibilities."
"Sue and I wanted to create an inclusive environment in which Joey, who has spina bifida, could play sports alongside people without disabilities. When we saw the number of family members, friends, and teachers who came to sled hockey practice to provide support and compete alongside athletes with disabilities, we realized that we'd settled on the right sport."
To view a documentary on Team USA's preparation for the Paralympics, clips from team members, and a sled hockey primer, visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/medal-quest/ice-warriors/. To learn more about the Conner Training Consortium, which now supports community capacity-building virtually while partnering with Iowa's Money Follows the Person initiative to support the community transition of individuals residing in Iowa's two Resource Centers, visit http://www.disabilitytraining.org.
