The University of Minnesota’s Recreation and Wellness Center aims to have inclusive and accessible spaces for all students through inclusive programming, intramural sports and more.
The RecWell has adaptive equipment in its gym spaces and offers adaptive intramural sports to promote inclusivity in health and wellness for the campus community.
Cardiovascular equipment like a wheelchair roller for stationary, treadmill-like use, strength equipment like wheelchair-accessible cable machines and other equipment such as floats for adaptive swimming and more are available for all to use at the gym.
Along with adaptive equipment, the RecWell offers adaptive sports like goalball and wheelchair basketball.
RecWell Assistant Director of Facilities and Intramurals Shandon Sutherland said a culture of community and inclusion for all students is one of the RecWell’s goals.
The RecWell has many inclusion-centered programs including the Small World Coffee Hour, an event where students can connect with each other while drinking coffee and eating snacks, Sutherland said. Last week, goalball players hosted a demo of the game during the coffee hour and socialized with fellow students.
Sutherland said there was a need for accessible sports, especially goalball, on campus. He said students came to him with requests for a space to play goalball at the RecWell.
“We’re always thinking about adaptive programming, it’s more than just checking a box,” Sutherland said. “What we really look for is if these students come to us to communicate a need, and then we pretty much do everything we can to make it happen.”
Next semester, the RecWell hopes to provide even more inclusive and accessible events and resources for students, Sutherland said.
Although there is a wheelchair basketball program in place, the RecWell has seen a lull in the program and is hoping to start it back up again, he said.
“We’re trying to find those regulars and people who are really committed and passionate about it to form that community,” Sutherland said. “Having a community around programs like this is really what pushes it forward, rather than just putting it out there every week.”
The RecWell also plans to host an Adaptive Sports Night at some point early in the spring semester. The event will be in collaboration with the Exercise is Medicine Club and will feature a guest speaker panel and set aside time for attendees to play adaptive sports.
However, Sutherland said this inclusivity and accessibility extends beyond athletic programs, including wheelchair-accessible bathrooms and locker rooms.
Sutherland encouraged students to reach out to RecWell staff via email or through social media, as they are always looking for new opportunities for students.
“Our tagline here at RecWell is, ‘You belong here,’” Sutherland said. “Everything we do is about creating a place and a space where everyone feels like they belong.”
