Sports and the Physically Challenged - by Linda Mastandrea & Donna Czubernat (Hardcover)

About the Book

This encyclopedia is a great resource for those wishing to learn more about the history of the disability sport movement. Research shows that little has been written about disability sports and the people, events and organizations that created the movement. Sports and physical activity transcend many barriers--thus, a book about disability sport and the people and events involved is likely to eradicate some of the barriers people with disabilities themselves face, by creating a greater awareness and understanding of the abilities of people with disabilities.

This encyclopedia is a great resource for those wishing to learn more about the history of the disability sport movement. Research shows that little has been written about disability sports and the people, events and organizations that created the movement. Sports and physical activity transcend many barriers--thus, a book about disability sport and the people and events involved is likely to eradicate some of the barriers people with disabilities face, by creating a greater awareness and understanding of the abilities of people with disabilities.
The comprehensive coverage of disability sport will be of interest to people in sports, recreation, and rehabilitation, as well as to those who are interested in learning more about it. The resource pages will interest people with disabilities, their families and friends. The work also includes a historical timeline of disability sport.

Book Synopsis

This encyclopedia is a great resource for those wishing to learn more about the history of the disability sport movement. Research shows that little has been written about disability sports and the people, events and organizations that created the movement. Sports and physical activity transcend many barriers--thus, a book about disability sport and the people and events involved is likely to eradicate some of the barriers people with disabilities themselves face, by creating a greater awareness and understanding of the abilities of people with disabilities.

This encyclopedia is a great resource for those wishing to learn more about the history of the disability sport movement. Research shows that little has been written about disability sports and the people, events and organizations that created the movement. Sports and physical activity transcend many barriers--thus, a book about disability sport and the people and events involved is likely to eradicate some of the barriers people with disabilities face, by creating a greater awareness and understanding of the abilities of people with disabilities.

Review Quotes

"This encyclopedia does a fine job of compiling information that addresses the physically challenged and sports. Its main objective is to serve as a resource to help improve opportunities and access to sports and physical activity for all people with disabilities. It contains an alphabetical list of entries that cover people, sports, events, equipment, legislation, organizations, and more. Also offered are pictures of athletes in action and a disability sport time line. The entries contain short comprehensive overviews of the terms, with bibliographies at the end....This is an excellent resource for anyone interested in sports and the physically challenged. Highly recommended. Academic and public libraries; lower-/upper-level undergraduates, graduate students, two-year technical program students, professionals/practitioners, and general readers." --Choice

"If you love watching, learning about, or participating in sports, you'll find something of interest in this encyclopedia. Entries cover champion athletes with disabilities, specialized equipment, organizations and sports ranging from fishing to murderball (quad rugby). Many of the entries read like short articles or stories, providing historical and bibliographic references. The hundreds of pieces in this volume add up to a very impressive account of the remarkable, imaginative world of sports for those with physical disabilities." --Quest

"In addition to reading about remarkable athletes like Mastandrea, we can learn many things from the entries in this book. We can learn that the Italian game of Boccia is particularly useful for athletes with cerebral palsy and that blind athletes play a special version of baseball called Beep Baseball. We can learn of original games such as goal ball, wheelchair rugby, and sitting volleyball. We can learn the aims of a host of organizations such as Wheelchair Sports USA and the mechanics of technologies like Sip and Puff....This is a unique and very specialized reference work on a very timely subject matter. Both public and academic libraries should be interested." --Reference & User Services Quarterly

"Sports and the Physically Challenged helps fill a void in literature and will be a valuable library resource for anyone involved in or interested in disability sport. Disabilities are wide-ranging and all of these forms are embraced within the text." --Reference Reviews

"Wheelchair athlete Mastandrea and her sister, Czubernat, authored the 169 entries in this encyclopedia describing significant people, terms, events, and organizations in the history of disability sports. The volume opens with a timeline of firsts beginning with the 1870s participation of schools for the deaf in sporting events. The entries that follow are alphabetically arranged and contain from a paragraph to about two pages of information. Topics include the Americans with Disabilities Act, Blind Sailing International, the Paralympics and its precursors, U.S. Disabled Ski Team, and 10 types of wheelchair sports. This reference will be useful for students researching sports and the physically challenged and is appropriate for a general readership." --Reference & Research Book News

About the Author

Linda Mastandrea is an accomplished athlete, attorney, advocate and author. She won 15 gold and 5 silver medals in international wheelchair track competition, including gold and silver medals at the 1996 Paralympics in Atlanta before retiring to pursue a career in disability law, public speaking and writing. Widely recognized as an authority on disability related topics, she has lectured to audiences worldwide on disability sport and recreation, and to nationwide audiences on topics ranging from disability sport to the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Donna Czubernat was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs. Donna is no stranger to disability issues. She has two siblings and a son with disabilities. This exposure helped Donna become an advocate who is continually researching information to share with people living with a disability. An entirely different universe of disability opened to Donna when she traveled with her sister and co-author, Linda, as she competed in wheelchair track and road racing.

A self-proclaimed late bloomer, Donna returned to school after her children were grown, focusing on the social sciences and psychology. She has worked in the legal field for 18 years, and particularly enjoys researching case law as well as the administration and management of a small law practice. Donna is currently working on a written account of her mother's 15-year struggle with Alzheimer's disease. When Donna is not writing, she can often be found studying astronomy, astropsychology, reading, and traveling.