National Junior Disability Championships

The Adaptive Sports USA Junior Nationals formerly the National Junior Disability Championships (NJDC) is an annual Olympic-style sports competition for physically disabled youth, including (but not limited to) those with spina bifida, cerebral palsy, amputees, visually impaired/blind, dwarfism, and any other similar physical disabilities that impede movement/the ability to participate in non-adapted sports The Junior Nationals has become one of the largest junior sporting competitions held in the United State for youth with physical disabilities. Held each year in a different city/state of the United States, Junior Nationals attracts more than 250 athletes from all over the United States including several foreign countries.

Typically, competitions are held in track, field events (javelin, shot put, discus, club, softball throw), weightlifting, table tennis, archery, swimming, and sometimes boccia and 3-on-3 basketball.

Athletes can be from 7 – 21 years of age. Several Paralympic athletes started their career as competitors at the NJDC.^[1]

History

Junior disabled athlete Joey Chiavaroli, at the 2004 NJDC in Mesa, Arizona

Founded in 1984 by the Wheelchair & Ambulatory Sports, USA, witch held the first games in July of that year, with only three events The games are held every year in different host city in the United States. Each year Wheelchair & Ambulatory Sports, USA, who sanctions NJDC selects a host organization, who bids for or request to host NJDC in their home city the following year.^[1]

Athletic events offered annually

Archery
At the Junior Nationals, Male and female Archers compete in two primary categories based upon bow type (recurve or compound) and shoot varying distances based upon their age and physical challenge(s).

Junior National uses the archery classification defined by the Paralympic Games with some variants. These classifications are as follows:

• Open

Athletes may have impairment in the legs and use a wheelchair or have a balance impairment and shoot standing or resting on a stool. Open category athletes may shoot in recurve or compound competitions, under standard rules.

• W1

Athletes may have impairment in the legs and make use of a wheelchair. W1 athletes may shoot either a recurve or compound bow modified from standard rules, do not have separate competitions for the two disciplines.

• Visually Impaired V1, V2/3

Athletes may have impairment in their vision. V1 athletes must wear blindfolds or black-out glasses while competing. V1, V2/3 athletes use tactile sights and are permitted an assistant sitting or standing one metre behind the shooting line to relay information about the position of the arrows in the target, safety and help with scoring.^[2]

Powerlifting
The NJDC powerlifting competition or weightlifting competition consists of both power and bench styles. Participants taking part in ether the powerlifting or bench weightlifting competitions compete together in the same weight and age classes. The individual athlete's disability is not taken into consideration in determining the individual's classification placement. For example, Ambulatory athletes can compete against wheelchair athletes in their respected age a weight categories.^[3]

Shooting

Swimming
The NJDC swimming competition offers both individual and relay events consisting of two swim courses, the swimming long course and the swimming short course. The events are listed as follows:

Swimming short course events

• Individual: 75IM, 100IM, 25 Breast, 25 Free, 25 Back, 25 Fly, 4X25 Free, and 4X25 Medley
• Relay: 200yd Free Relay, and 200 yd. Medley Relay

Swimming long course events

• Individual: 200m, 150IM, 200IM, 400IM, 100free, 50breast, 100breast, 50free, 50back, 100back, 200back, 50fly, 100fly, 200fly, 4X50free, 4Xmedley, and 400Free.^[4][5]

Table Tennis
Athletes participating in the NJDC table tennis competition compete according to skill level not disability. For example, a wheelchair athlete can be paired up with an ambulatory athlete opponent. The NJDC table tennis classifications tournament events are as follows:

• Individual
• Open
• Doubles
• Open novice play ^[3]

Track & Field (Athletics)
The NJDC track and field competition consists of both Ambulatory and Wheelchair events. Both the ambulatory and wheelchair track events are held together based on event race. Typically, wheelchair athletes race together, preceded by the ambulatory athletes. The track events are listed as follows:

• Track events: 60m, 800m, 20m, 100m, 200m, 5000m, 400m 1500m, Relays, & 100m Open

The NJDC field events are organized into two categories field events for Ambulatory athletes and field events for wheelchair athletes, which are held separate from each other usually on different days. The field events are listed as follows:

• Ambulatory field events: discus, club throw, high jump, long jump, triple jump,javelin, softball throw, and shot put.
• Wheelchair field events: discus, club throw, javelin, shot put, and softball throw.^[3][4]

Athletic events offered occasionally

Past host cities

References

External links

• Official website
• http://www.tswaa.com/2009%20NJDC.htm - Official website of the NJDC 2009
• http://www.njdc2010.org/ - Official website of the NJDC 2010
• http://2012njdc.blogspot.com/ - Official website of the NJDC 2012
• http://www.njdc2013.com/ - Official website of the NJDC 2013
• http://www.njdc2014.com/ - Official website of the NJDC 2014
• http://www.njdc2015nj.com - Official website of the NJDC 2015