The Challenged Athletes Foundation® is a non-profit organization that provides opportunities and support to people with physical disabilities so they can pursue active lifestyles through physical fitness and competitive athletics. Founder Bob Babbitt says, “Every member of Team CAF shares an unwavering belief: that sport has the power to transform lives.”
With that mission in mind, coach Sarah Lizotte (@slizotte) took the University of California San Diego women’s water polo team (@ucsdwwp) to help with a CAF ocean swimming practice in La Jolla Shores in preparation for the CAF San Diego Triathlon Challenge on October 26th with a 1-mile swim + 30-mile bike + 8-mile run.
Sofia Munatones (@sofiamunatones) said, “We helped disabled triathletes swim in La Jolla. It was quite incredible, most of the athletes didn’t have arms or legs. I had to carry a little girl in the wheelchair out past the break and then she swam about 200 yards by herself towards the cove. I carried Tessa’s limb and my teammate and I carried her backwards out of the water.”
Sydney Munatones (@sydneymunatones) recalled, “I was helping Katie, a woman who lost both her legs at 25. Another athlete has one arm, but she was doing really well. Everyone all floated very well and they undulated to move.
The others made their own way out of the water by themselves. It was impressive.”
Smiles. Swimming. Surf.
Involvement is always a life-affirming experience with the Challenged Athletes Foundation. For more information, visit www.challengedathletes.org.
From the shores of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil with Praia Para Todos [shown below on left with Thomas Lurz] to the waters off Ocean City in New Jersey with the Ocean City Swim Club Unified Team at the Legion of Ocean Heroes Surf Lifesaving Festival [shown below on right with Bruckner Chase], athletes helping athletes has a long history in the ocean.
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World Open Water Swimming Federation, a human-powered project.