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Connecticut
Rehab is a proud sponsor of the Hospital for Special Care's Cruisers
wheelchair sports team.
  
The Cruisers History
The Cruisers are a
competitive wheelchair sports team of young athletes ranging in age from 5-18
and compete in track & field, road racing, and weight lifting. All the
athletes have some form of physical disability, which has never stopped
them from competing at the highest level of competition.
The Cruisers were
founded in 1984 when the CEO of the Newington Children’s Hospital
expressed a need for specialized sports activities for out patients and
contacted the recreation department. George L. Sanford, Director of
Therapeutic Recreation (TR) and Don Chaffee, Assistant Director set out to
form the Cruisers. Since 1984 the Cruisers have had tremendous growth with
close to 300 former or current team members. In 1997 the Cruisers joined
Hospital for Special Care in New Britain CT.
Since that time
Hospital for Special Care has been the supporter and sponsor for the team.
Current and former Cruisers have held National records both at the Junior
and Adult level. Current Cruiser, Abe Waugh, has set new national records
in the field events each year he has competed. Currently he holds 3
national records. Former Cruiser, Ann (Walters) Thompson, has gone on to
have tremendous success at the international level and has competed on the
USA Paralympic track teams in 1988, 1992, and 1996, and is currently on the
USA National women’s wheelchair basketball team. The Cruisers gave
Ann her start in wheelchair sports after a spinal cord injury ended her
downhill ski racing dreams. The Cruisers have given both Abe and Ann and
many others the opportunity to be a part of a sports team for the first
time or return to sports.
Hospital for
Special Care Cruisers Mission
Hospital for Special
Care began its sponsorship of the Cruisers in 1997 and has insured that
those athletes who have qualified for the Junior National Championships
have been able to compete. In 2000 due to the tremendous success of so many
of the young Cruiser athletes 12 have qualified for the National
Championships in San Jose, CA in July. The hard work and hours of year
round practice and training has led to this success. We anticipate that as
the team grows more athletes will be qualifying for and competing at the
National level.
For more information
on the CRUISERS sports team or any other opportunities please contact
Hospital for Special Care's Sports Program Manager:
Gail Corcoran, Sports Program Manager
2150 Corbin Ave.
New Britain, CT 06053 860-832-6220
gcorcoran@hfsc.org
Also: Look for Spoke Bender
Wheelchair Basketball Games - for more information contact: cyberzee@snet.net
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