Now this is sportsmanship.

Agreed.

It's most definitely sportsmanship.

On a whole (from the lense of having a disability), I wait for the day that when someone with an exceptionality does something that's otherwise considered normal activity, isn't considered exceptional.

And to play him on the last game of the regular season only highlights his disability; it's deleterious.

"SRV is especially relevant to two classes of people in society: those who are already societally devalued, and those who are at heightened risk of becoming devalued. Thus, SRV is primarily a response to the historically universal phenomenon of social devaluation, and especially societal devaluation. In any society, there are groups and classes who are at value-risk or already devalued in and by their society or some of its sub-systems. (In North America, it has been estimated that from one-fourth to one-third of the population has characteristics that are societally devalued to the point that they exist in a devalued state.) Devalued individuals, groups, and classes are far more likely than other members of society to be treated badly, and to be subjected to a systematic--and possibly life-long--pattern of such negative experiences as the following.

- Being perceived and interpreted as "deviant," due to their negatively-valued differentness. The latter could consist of physical or functional impairments, low competence, a particular ethnic identity, certain behaviors or associations, skin color, and many others.
- Being rejected by community, society, and even family and services.
- Being cast into negative social roles, some of which can be severely negative, such as "subhuman," "menace," and "burden on society."
- Being put and kept at a social or physical distance, the latter most commonly by segregation.
Having negative images (including language) attached to them.
- Being the object of abuse, violence, and brutalization, and even being made dead."

My opinion.

Peace.

It's funny you said that Cam because I just saw that very thing happen.

Like when I first started learning about home audio, I've been hanging around sailing web boards since I took up that activity again last year. Recently on the two boards that I frequent, I saw several posts and an article about the loss of a well known sailor in the Hobie Cat world. John Ross-Duggan. His boat capsized hard enough to snap his mast and he was trapped underneath. He drowned before his crew could rescue him.

I think that I read at least three or four threads on one board before finally reading a brief article written by the Hobie Forum administrator that explained that he was a Quadriplegic.

This tells me that, at least to his peers, he was a friend and fellow sailor first.

TO be fair though, I think it would not have been doing him justice if the more 'official' announcement didn't mention his disability. It does represent a level of courage that should be commended. However, I thought it was cool that I read a bunch of other peoples remarks that simply just mourned a colleagues passing.

"And to play him on the last game of the regular season only highlights his disability; it's deleterious."

I'd agree to this normally but it would be interesting to hear the rest of the story.
Specifically whether he had the opportunity to practice with the team through out the season and just couldn't fill the position but was given the last shot anyway.
Regardless it would have been encouraging for him I'm sure.

I honestly don't see how it represents a level of courage that transcends that of anyone else in the boat. The fact is that we quadriplegic's can sail. The fact is that quadriplegic's can drown (albeit even in a puddle...). This is no different from the able-bodied people in his crew. Is it more taxing? Without a doubt. But, it's not superhuman or superquadriplegic LOL.

Now, if a C4-5 complete quadriplegic was going to attempt something impossible (or seemingly so) like walking (maybe I'll try tomorrow ), but he landed flat on his face, then he should definitely be commended.




I concur, concur, concur.

It could be the beer in my system, but that just brought a tear to my eyes.

I saw more of the story on TSN the other night and the kid never practised with the team or so they said.

Cam I fail to see how this was harmful in any way. He got a chance to shine, be in the spotlight , his "Rudy" moment, something I am sure he will remember for the rest of his life.

I'm probably going to overstep and get myself into trouble here Cam but I know you won't take it personally.

I wasn't referring actually to his courage to be in the boat. So I disagree a bit but I understand your viewpoint. Once he reached a place in his life where he could get back on that boat, Yes, he became just another sailor doing what he loved. However, I'm guessing he worked much harder than I did to get back into sailing.

As some here know, I do a lot of volunteer work so I feel a bit qualified when I say that I was referring to "courage" as am element of recovery. Any recovery from a life changing injury takes courage. I'd challenge anyone to prove otherwise.

Absolutely, some people embrace it and seem to excel at life no matter what the challenge. Other people struggle greatly and take a lot of extra time just to get back to any semblance of an enjoyable life attitude.

To recover from a life changing injury does take courage. To recover from a life changing injury and return to a physical activity that you love, takes even more courage! Not superhuman courage but it's very hard work and mentally and physically very draining.

Currently my Dad is struggling with the return of the effects of a spinal injury when he was young. He was struck in the back of the neck by a boom on the dredge he worked on. He had to learn to eat, talk and walk again after that but other than being deaf in one ear, he lived a perfectly normal life (continued to work on the dredge, on the sea as he loved). I was too young to even remember when he didn't seem perfectly able.

Now that he is aging, his body is losing the ability he built up to compensate for the nerve damage he suffered. His balance is faulty, he drags one leg when he walks and if you were to listen to him talk, you would think he had a stroke. However, he continues to do everything he used to do around the house, work in his shop, shovel snow and rigorously does his exercises to slow the progress of his symptoms as much as he can, knowing full well that they will undoubtedly continue to worsen.

The word "courage" (as I define it) applies to everyone I have known who has worked through injuries, great and small and I'll use the word proudly to describe my Dad.

I think Cam, we are preaching the same story. Maybe we are just both focused on two very different angles.

I hope my opinion is taken as open discussion. It is not my intent to offend, minimize or maximize for that matter.