National Sports Center for the Disabled Participant
Earns Trip to Athens Greece

Denver, Colorado, August 6, 2004…The National Sports Center for the Disabled, U.S. Paralympics and Freightliner Sprinter announced the selection of Kelsey Paul of Centennial Colorado as the Paralympic Academy athlete to attend the 2004 Paralympic Games, Sept. 17-28, in Athlens, Greece. Kelsey was selected based on her entry of a 100-word essay on "What Ability Means to Me." Kelsey is 16 years old and will be a junior at Eaglecrest High School next fall. As a double amputee, Kelsey has participated in skiing lessons with the NSCD through the Children's Hospital for the past eight years. Kelsey believes a person's ability to accomplish their goals is not only about physical strength, it is about the love and dedication you put into the activity you are going after. She says if you have your heart and mind set, then you have the ability to accomplish anything. It is because of this impressive ambition and positive attitude that Kelsey has been chosen to attend the Paraylmpic Games.

The Paralympic Academy is an outreach program created to recognize and inspire children with physical disabilities to participate in sports and recreational activities while providing parents and coaches the skill sets and equipment to support their children's involvement in more active lifestyles.

"The Olympic and Paralympic Games are strong international platforms to inspire parents, children and coaches to excel in sports and life," said Charlie Huebner, U.S. Paralympics Managing Director. "The goal of the Paralympic Academy is to work collaboratively with leadership organizations like the National Sports Center for the Disabled to significantly impact the number of children with physical disabilities that participate in health and wellness programs in their state."

The National Sports Center for the Disabled is one of the largest outdoor therapeutic recreation organizations in the world. Each year, both children and adults with disabilities take to the ski slopes, mountain trails, playing fields, and golf links to learn more about sports, and themselves. With a specially trained staff and its own adaptive equipment lab, the NSCD teaches a variety of winter and summer sports to individuals with almost any mental or physical disability.