BlazeSports America
Encyclopedia
BlazeSports America is a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization based in Atlanta,Georgia that provides sport and physical activity opportunities for youth and adults with physical disabilities.
held in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1998, a model program was rolled out in Georgia in partnership with the Georgia Recreation and Park Association to bring community-based disability sports programs to communities across the state. The BlazeSports Georgia activities were funded, in part, by a grant from the State of Georgia. In 2002, in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association, BlazeSports launched a national program offered through BlazeSports clubs and affiliates. The organization now bears the name of the highly popular Atlanta Paralympic Games mascot, Blaze.
As reported by Olympic news outlet Around the Rings, seven BlazeSports staffers traveled to Haiti in June 2011 to strengthen and support Haiti's programs for disabled athletes.
, a mythical bird that rises from ashes to experience a renewed life. The phoenix appears in Egyptian
, Arabian, Chinese
, Russian
and native American
lore and in all instances symbolizes strength, vision, inspiration and survival.
The phoenix
was an ideal mascot for the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games and later for BlazeSports America. It has long been the symbol of Atlanta’s rebirth after its devastation in the American Civil War
. But most importantly, it is the personification of the will, perseverance and determination of youth and adults with physical disability to achieve full and productive lives.
Blaze, with his bright colors, height and broad wing span, reflects the traits, identified in a focus group of athletes with disability, as those they believed best represented the drive to succeed of persons with physical disability
who pursue sports as recreation and as a competitive endeavor.
Today, Blaze is perhaps the most recognizable symbol of disability sport in America.
History
BlazeSports America, Inc. was originally founded as the U.S. Disabled Athletes Fund, Inc. (USDAF). It was established in 1993 to become the legacy of the 1996 Paralympic Games1996 Summer Paralympics
The 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta, USA were held from 16 August to 25 August. It was the first Paralympics to get mass media sponsorship, and had a budget of USD $81 million....
held in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1998, a model program was rolled out in Georgia in partnership with the Georgia Recreation and Park Association to bring community-based disability sports programs to communities across the state. The BlazeSports Georgia activities were funded, in part, by a grant from the State of Georgia. In 2002, in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association, BlazeSports launched a national program offered through BlazeSports clubs and affiliates. The organization now bears the name of the highly popular Atlanta Paralympic Games mascot, Blaze.
Program Vision
BlazeSports America’s vision is that all children and adults with physical disabilities will have the opportunity to realize their potential by participating in sport and other activities that promote lifelong health and personal empowerment. We believe that BlazeSports can be a bridge to successful and healthy futures for young people with a physical disability by ensuring that the quality, diversity, and availability of programs are equivalent to those for individuals without a disability. BlazeSports’ commitment to equity, inclusion, and the application of interdisciplinary, evidence-based practice fosters a culture of innovation and efficacy. By cultivating local, state, national, and international strategic partnerships with like-minded organizations, BlazeSports America is advancing the equality, visibility, and human rights of people with physical disabilities through sport.Current Programming
BlazeSports America has quickly evolved into an extensive network local programs delivered in conjunction with community agencies and organizations. Sports camps, clinics, workshops, tournaments and competitions are offered by BlazeSports America throughout the year in 26 states and the District of Columbia. Additionally, BlazeSports America organizes the National Disability Sport Conference annually each spring to train coaches, officials, local service providers, and leaders in the field of Paralympic Sport.As reported by Olympic news outlet Around the Rings, seven BlazeSports staffers traveled to Haiti in June 2011 to strengthen and support Haiti's programs for disabled athletes.
Mascot
BlazeSports' most prominent symbol is its mascot Blaze. Blaze is a phoenixPhoenix (mythology)
The phoenix or phenix is a mythical sacred firebird that can be found in the mythologies of the Arabian, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, Indian and Phoenicians....
, a mythical bird that rises from ashes to experience a renewed life. The phoenix appears in Egyptian
Egyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
, Arabian, Chinese
Chinese mythology
Chinese mythology is a collection of cultural history, folktales, and religions that have been passed down in oral or written tradition. These include creation myths and legends and myths concerning the founding of Chinese culture and the Chinese state...
, Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
and native American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lore and in all instances symbolizes strength, vision, inspiration and survival.
The phoenix
Phoenix (mythology)
The phoenix or phenix is a mythical sacred firebird that can be found in the mythologies of the Arabian, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, Indian and Phoenicians....
was an ideal mascot for the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games and later for BlazeSports America. It has long been the symbol of Atlanta’s rebirth after its devastation in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. But most importantly, it is the personification of the will, perseverance and determination of youth and adults with physical disability to achieve full and productive lives.
Blaze, with his bright colors, height and broad wing span, reflects the traits, identified in a focus group of athletes with disability, as those they believed best represented the drive to succeed of persons with physical disability
Physical disability
A physical disability is any impairment which limits the physical function of one or more limbs or fine or gross motor ability. Other physical disabilities include impairments which limit other facets of daily living, such as respiratory disorders and epilepsy....
who pursue sports as recreation and as a competitive endeavor.
Today, Blaze is perhaps the most recognizable symbol of disability sport in America.