The Clemson University Formula SAE (CUFSAE) team is a student-run organization dedicated to designing, manufacturing and competing with a formula-style race car. They aim to provide students with the tools to learn relevant skills while exploring the possibilities of employment in the automotive industry.
The Fall 2024 CUFSAE team
This past weekend, the CUFSAE team travelled to Pennsylvania to compete in the annual Pittsburgh Shootout. They took their newest formula-style race car, Tiger 24, to the competition and had a great experience.
The team placed an impressive 6th overall out of 23 competing internal combustion (IC) teams. On Friday night, they passed the technical inspection part of the competition and then competed in all three dynamic events – autocross, acceleration and skidpad – placing in the top 10 in each event.
They faced a few difficulties throughout the weekend, but were able to overcome them and perform great. To learn more about their experience in Pittsburgh and what they have coming up, check out their Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Tiger 24 competing in Pittsburg the weekend of Sept. 14
CUFSAE has a variety of sponsors that they credit with making their projects possible, giving them the opportunity to apply their education and learn within this unique international competition. As one of their sponsors, the Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute (RHBSSI) is thrilled to celebrate this success and wishes the team the best of luck with the rest of their season.
CUFSAE has agreed to showcase one of their Formula One cars at RECESS, RHBSSI’s inaugural sports science research symposium. The event will take place on Thursday, October 24 from 5-8 p.m. in the Madren Center’s Grand Ballroom. To RSVP to this innovative and fun event, click here.
Clemson students are heading to Paris, France this month for the Paralympic Games on August 28 as part of a study abroad course lead by two RHBSSI faculty fellows from Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management (PRTM), Skye Arthur-Banning, Ph.D., and Jasmine Townsend, Ph.D.
Arthur-Banning and Townsend pose next to the Olympic/Paralympic Torch in Paris this summer.
Students will earn credit watching games played around the Arc de Triomphe or walking the Champs-Elysees in Paris while learning about sport and culture and seeing talented athletes from around the globe compete. The 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris will see over 4,400 athletes compete in 23 different sports.
Clemson students have been attending the Paralympic Games since 2010. This year, they will attend a variety of sporting events, walk through the Olympic stadium and meet with athletes. They will hear from sport designers and organizers to learn how the games are put on, their importance to the people of Paris and how disability awareness is growing within France and around the world. Students will also take in the rich culture of Paris by visiting the world-famous Louvre Museum and Eiffel Tower and eat some of the finest of French cuisine.
“One goal of the course is to expose students to the Paralympic Games as one of the largest international sporting events in the world,” said Arthur-Banning. “Through this experience, they will understand the planning and details, logistics and more that go into a large-scale sporting event.”
A second aim is to encourage students to think about and see the value of Parasport and appreciate all of the different sporting events, as well as the wide variety of people with disabilities that are able to experience sport. Arthur-Banning and Townsend hope that the students’ worldview will be broadened, and they will become advocates for people with disabilities and the programs that serve them.
Clemson Olympic Sports Science is seeking two to four candidates to fill internship positions for the Fall 2024 (August through December) semester. Successful candidates will gain knowledge and experience within a Division 1 Collegiate setting by assisting the Director of Sports Science in providing sports science support across Clemson Olympic sports.
Clemson Olympic Sports staff and interns meet on campus at Clemson University
Interns will engage in semester-long sports science curriculum, gain exposure to a wide variety of sports science technology, and participate in networking opportunities with sports science professionals. The internship may fulfill course credit if necessary. Click here for more information on qualifications and responsibilities.
To apply, submit a cover letter, resume and list of references in a single PDF to Jason Avedesian at javedes@clemson.edu. Please title the subject line of the email, “SPORTS SCIENCE INTERNSHIP – FALL 2024.”
Clemson Formula SAE (CUFSAE) is a student-led organization at Clemson that is focused on designing, manufacturing and competing with a formula-style race car. Each year, they design and build a new vehicle from the ground up that meets competition rules while also pursuing innovation. May 8-11, CUFSAE competed in the Formula SAE Michigan competition with their newest race car, the Tiger 24.
The Clemson Formula SAE team and their formula race car, Tiger 24, compete at the Formula SAE Michigan competition May 8-11, 2024
Michigan FSAE Competition
The Formula SAE Michigan competition was a chance for CUFSAE to showcase Tiger 24’s capabilities and their astounding efforts. 120 cars competed, making this one of the larger competitions CUFSAE has participated in. Of those 120 cars, the Tiger 24 displayed great competitive attributes finishing 20th in design and 60th overall.
In the midst of the competition, the Tiger 24 required an unexpected engine swap leading to some unforeseen challenges the following day. However, this situation led to new opportunities for learning and improvement, allowing the team to focus on future successes and ultimately strengthen their resilience and determination.
Tiger 24 placed 20th in design and 60th overall at the Michigan FSAE competition.
In the Pipeline for CUFSAE
This competition will not be the last chance for the team to display the Tiger 24’s capabilities. They will have the opportunity to further test these abilities in upcoming test days as well as competitions occurring later this year.
CUFSAE team members working on Tiger 24 before the competition.
Upcoming Competitions:
Pittsburgh Shootout (September)
Michelin LPG Shootout (October)
Barnesville Shootout (November)
There have also been changes to the team, as they have recently elected new team and division leads.
Tier 1 Leaders:
Team Lead – Rajan Chitrao
Chief Engineer – Ryan Bishop
Production Lead – Alec Huber
Finance and Logistics Officer – William Wei
Additionally, Rowen Smith is the new Sponsorship Coordinator for CUFSAE. With these changes to the team, Smith says that they will aspire to focus on reliability, better teamwork and earlier production for next year’s car, the Tiger 25, which will undergo design this summer.
The Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute logo is showcased on Tiger 24 alongside other sponsors.
A part of the Tiger 24’s success has been credited to the support of CUFSAE’s sponsors. The team has expressed their unwavering gratitude towards their sponsors, including the Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute (RHBSSI), saying that the sponsors’ continuous assistance and investment gives the team added strength to keep pushing creativity and build the most competitive car they can. We at RHBSSI commend the CUFSAE team on all their successes to-date and wish them best of luck in their upcoming competitions this season.
Be sure to follow CUFSAE on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay current on all of the innovative things they are doing.
Nearly everyone remembers playing sports as a kid, but for some, it’s an uphill battle that comes with a unique set of challenges — challenges Jasmine Townsend (Ph.D.) has tried to alleviate with the establishment and growth of the Adaptive Sports and Recreation Program at Clemson University.
Townsend and her husband, Jeff, have made the most of their time in Tigertown. They knew for years that they wanted to establish an adaptive sports program at a school, so when they arrived in Clemson in 2014, they knew it was a perfect fit. Since then, the establishment of the program has been “fast and furious,” Townsend said.
Housed under the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, the Adaptive Sports and Recreation Program at Clemson has given hundreds of people the opportunity to compete in sports.
At the center of those opportunities is the Palmetto Games, a yearly regional sports competition hosted on Clemson’s campus. People all over the country flock to the Upstate to participate in the Palmetto Games, organized by Townsend and in collaboration with Clemson’s Athletic Department and the Department of Campus Recreation.
The Palmetto Games have a rich tradition of providing regional adaptive sport competition for more than two decades, and serve as both an introduction for newcomers, as well as a qualifying opportunity for Jr. Nationals and/or Paralympic competition for more developed athletes.
This year’s Palmetto Games are scheduled for April 26-27 and will include track and field events, swimming and air rifle competitions. Those interested in early registration for the Palmetto Games can register by April 5 at 11:59 p.m. Late registration ends on April 12 at 11:59 p.m. Adaptive athletes with any physical impairment are eligible to compete in the Games, with both ambulatory and wheelchair divisions available.
“What they’re doing on that track is no different than what other athletes do on that track. We just had to build it, and that’s what we’re doing,” Townsend said. “If you build it, they will come, right? We just need to build it, and they’ll have the same opportunity to grow physically, personally, socially and all the things. And so when I see that, I mean, I definitely feel warm fuzzies and tears and happiness.”
Jasmine Townsend has been at Clemson since 2014 and has made a significant impact on Clemson’s disabled community.
At past events, Townsend has had parents come up to her to show appreciation for the work that the adaptive sports program does and the opportunities and targets it gives for people with disabilities.
Without the proper resources and opportunities, those with disabilities have a very difficult time playing sports.
“Depending on where someone lives, that pathway doesn’t exist for kids with disabilities,” Townsend added. “And we know that physical activity over the lifespan starts when you’re a child. You don’t just like all of a sudden start to work out as an adult if you’ve never done it before, or if you do, it’s really hard at some point. It’s really hard to figure out what it is. You’re trying all the things. What you do as a kid is you try all the things, and you just have to learn the habits. And those habits will hopefully carry into adulthood for a lifetime of healthy behaviors.”
As a part of the Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute’s cohort, Townsend has been a valued member of the sports science community and continues to build and create unique opportunities for those wanting to participate in adaptive sports.
Those interested in registering for the Palmetto Games or learning more about the Adaptive Sports Program can visit the program’s website here.
Clemson Formula SAE (CUFSAE) is a student-run organization dedicated to designing, manufacturing, and competing with a formula-style race car. Clemson FSAE competes on an international level through events hosted by SAE International, formerly known as the Society of Automotive Engineers. Each year, they design and build a new vehicle from the ground up that meets the competition rules and pushes for innovation. The summer and fall are spent designing the new vehicle, which is then built in the spring. Throughout the year, the team also travels to different competitions to compete against other teams from all over the world.
In May 2023, Clemson FSAE competed in the Michigan International Speedway. The team finished 11th in design and 39th overall out of 120 teams.
From engineering to marketing to financial planning to graphic design, CUFSAE strives to provide students from all backgrounds with hands-on and real-world experiences. The team is broken down into six divisions, including business, aerodynamics, chassis, electrical, powertrain, and suspension, that collaborate in a fluid and integration-focused manner to create the finished product. The business division gives students the opportunity to gain experience running a small business by dealing with recruitment, sponsorship relationship management, and finances. On the engineering side, the aerodynamics division is responsible for the car components that harness the air around the moving vehicle; the chassis division is responsible for the chassis of the vehicle, as well as the ergonomics and braking subsystems; the electrical division is responsible for the electrical components, mainly the electrical harness; the powertrain division is in charge of the vehicle’s engine and all of the subsystems that harness the power it generates; and finally, the suspension division is responsible for how the car handles and controlling the interactions between the tires and the ground. Working closely with Clemson’s Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering and Science, Graphic Communications Department, and the Facilities Department, CUFSAE provides students with the tools to learn relevant skills while exploring the possibilities of employment in the automotive industry.
A member of the Clemson FSAE team shown working on building the structure of their new race car.
The Competitions
During the competitions, each team is judged on their engineering skills and ideas as well as production quality through a design review. The design review is hosted by a panel of industry engineers specializing in a variety of automotive fields. The vehicle must go through a rigorous technical inspection along with tilt, sound, and brake testing before it is allowed to compete. The drivers must also prove they have all the required safety gear and the ability to egress the car quickly. The dynamic portion of the competition includes acceleration, skidpad, autocross, and endurance events. Lastly, each team is scored based on their vehicle cost report as well as a business marketing presentation. Each competition is an incredible experience showcasing the preparedness and camaraderie it takes to compete in the automotive world.
The team’s race car for this season, the Tiger 23, shown in action during the Michigan International Speedway competition.
The Formula SAE series was developed as a way for student’s to put their classroom knowledge into motion. The competitions are primarily engineering-based but have expanded to include all aspects of racing, including the business side.
Finding Success
The Clemson Formula SAE has found much success this year. In November, the CUFSAE team traveled to Kennesaw State University in Barnesville, GA, for the Barnesville Shootout. Among the four competing teams, Clemson FSAE emerged victorious, securing a well-deserved 1st place. Bringing both of their cars, the Tiger 22 and 23, to the competition, they were able to showcase their dedication and craftsmanship from the past two years. The event not only celebrated success on the track but also served as a platform for new drivers to gain valuable experience during the driver trials competition. With 35 members, a mix of seasoned veterans and eager newcomers, the team demonstrated exceptional teamwork and skill, making this competition a standout moment in their racing season.
Clemson FSAE’s team cars, Tiger 22 and Tiger 23, pictured with their 1st place trophy from the Barnesville Shootout competition that took place in early November.
Season highlight performances:
In October, the Clemson FSAE team secured another victory at Michelin’s first-ever Formula SAE event, the Michelin Formula SAE Shootout. They came in 1st out of 6 teams in the Internal Combustion (IC) Class and also won 1st place overall. Additionally, back in September of this year, the team competed at the Pittsburgh International Raceway in the 2023 Pittsburgh Shootout, placing 7th out of 30 for the IC-class. The CUFSAE team is still in the process of testing and refining their car in preparation for the premier competition, the Formula SAE Michigan, taking place on May 8-11, 2024.
Additional highlights:
2018 Pittsburgh Shootout – 3rd Place 2018 Barnesville Match Race – 1st Place 2019 Formula South – 1st Place 2019 Michigan Int. SAE – 18th Place 2022 Formula South – 1st Place 2022 Michigan Int. FSAE – 36th Place 2023 Michigan Int. FSAE – 39th Place
Behind the scenes, the success of the Tiger 23 is largely attributed to the unwavering support of sponsors who have played a crucial role in shaping the car’s capabilities. The team has expressed heartfelt appreciation for these sponsors, including the Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute. Their success has not only showcased their skill on the track but has also highlighted the collaborative spirit and dedication that fuels a winning team in automotive engineering. We congratulate the Clemson FSAE team on the success they have accomplished so far and wish them luck with the rest of their competition season!
Be sure to follow the Clemson Formula SAE team on Facebook and LinkedIn @ClemsonFormulaSAE to stay up-to-date on the amazing things they are doing.
By Kirsten Windbiel, a Master’s Student in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management major
Clemson University Paralympic Soccer announces the signing of two additional Fall 2021 recruits, Kevin George McCandlish and Gavin Kohner, who will join Shea Hammond and Tim Huff with the Paralympic Soccer Residential Training Program (RTP). Clemson’s RTP is a unique opportunity for athletes with disabilities and allows players to continue playing collegiate soccer while earning their college degree. Players earn in-state tuition wa iver in the form of an athletic scholarship and will train weekly with the team. Players will seek to excel on the field with team training, personal development training and strength and conditioning, as the program seeks to prepare players for the US Para National team. This distinctive program, the only one in the country, is paving the way for soccer players with disabilities in the United States.
Signing Athlete Bios:
Kevin George McCandlish
Kevin McCandlish signs his intent to join Clemson’s Paralympic soccer residential training program.
Kevin comes to Clemson from Virginia and plans to pursue his degree in the Sports Management program. He started playing soccer when he was around 3 years old. In his early years, McCandlish simply enjoyed the sport for fun. He couldn’t imagine where it has led him today. By 9, McCandlish started to take soccer more seriously and joined his first travel team. In 2017, he got the chance to start playing for the U.S. Paralympic National Team (USPNT). Ever since 2017, McCandlish’s view of soccer and life dreams changed drastically. Kevin has Spastic Cerebral Palsy (CP), which affects the right side of his body. The CP affects his speed and ability to use both feet – obstacles McClandlish has overcome in his journey.
He is excited to play for Clemson with players who are similar to him.
“It’s nice to finally be able to train with them every day instead of only being able to for a week every now and then with the national team.,” McClandlish said. “This is going to help us build better chemistry on and off the field.”
Welcome to Clemson University, Kevin!
Gavin Kohner
Gavin Kohner is one of two players to recently sign a letter of intent to join Clemson’s Paralympic soccer team.
Hailing from Phoenix, Arizona, Gavin Kohner plans to study Business Accounting at Clemson and later pursue law school. Joining Clemson is a childhood dream for Kohner.
“It has been my dream since 8th grade to attend Clemson and play soccer at the collegiate level through the parasoccer program,” Kohner said. “I am extremely grateful to receive the scholarship and have worked hard to get here. I am excited to join fellow teammates and get out on the field!”
Growing up, soccer was always something Kohner looked forward to playing at the end of the day. Soccer was great stress-relief for him. Kohner also has cerebral palsy, resulting in hemiparesis on his right side. One of the barriers Kohner has overcome — in both life and soccer — is increased injury and discomfort to his body compensating for his disability. As a result, he has dedicated more time and effort into stretching and taking care of his body. In addition, Kohner focuses on intentional training, recovery, and nutrition.
“My goals are to grow and excel both on and off the field and academically,” Kohner said. “One of my dreams is to join the USPNT as both a consistent and strong team player.”
Welcome to Clemson, Gavin!
For more information regarding the Clemson Paralympic Soccer Program, visit http://clemsonparalympicsoccer.org or follow the program on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter @cuparasoccer for updates.
By Marissa Kuula, a senior Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management major, focusing on Community Recreation, Sport and Camp Management
Clemson Paralympic Soccer is a program run through Clemson University to provide soccer programming for various populations with disabilities. Their programs seek to improve the quality of life through their Residential Training Program, VA Adaptive Soccer Camps, Tutor, Talk and Train Program, Additional Adaptive Sport Opportunities such as 5-a-side Blind Soccer, 7-a-side Para Soccer, and adaptive weight training sessions, and continuing research and education. One of the programs from which many of the others have grown from has been funded by the United States Department of Veteran Affairs the last 5 years and supports veterans with disabilities to experience adaptive Soccer. In partnership with US Soccer, we are able to provide veteran participants with a US Soccer grassroots coaching certification, a mental health first aid certification and provide them with an overview of a number of the adaptive soccer programs growing around the country. We followed up with some of their past participants to see how this camp has impacted their life.
Christian Gay: U.S. Army Veteran
Residing in Colorado, Christian previously lived in Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, Texas, Kuwait, and Iraq over the course of his service in the Army National Guard. Crossing paths with US Men’s Paralympic Soccer team coach, Stuart Sharp, at the Eastern and Southern Regional TOPSoccer Conference, he was told about Clemson Paralympic Soccer’s veteran
s soccer camps. In regard to his participation in camp, Christian expressed that “I loved learning about new ways to coach players with special needs and being with other veterans.” When asked what he took away from the camp experience, Christian stated, “there is always a way for everyone to be able to play and love soccer.” This sentiment was taken beyond camp. Christian then went on to coach in
Christian Gay
his community, utilizing a U.S. Soccer Coaching Certification that is provided at camp. One of his astonishing accomplishments has been the role of the TOP Soccer program for Desoto Soccer Association. TOPSoccer is a community-based training program for athletes with intellectual, emotional, and or physical disabilities. The program strives to provide soccer opportunities for players to develop at their own pace in a safe, fun, and supportive/inclusive environment. While working as VP of TOPSoccer in the Desoto Soccer Association, Christian loves working with the kids in the program, stating that “being with the kids was more rewarding than I could have ever imagined.”
Al Marconi: U.S. Naval Reserves Veteran
Al Marconi
Currently living in California, Al served in the U.S. Naval Reserves for six years and the U.S. Army Reserves for fourteen years. Over the course of his service, he lived all over the continental United States, in multiple Mediterranean Sea ports, and in parts of the Caribbean. Hearing about the Clemson veteran soccer camp program from the physical therapist at his VA hospital, Al enjoyed the “thoroughness of the content taught at camp and the friendly and non-stressful demeanor of the instructors.”
In addition to lessons regarding adaptive soccer coaching, participants also go through Mental Health
First Aid training, which teaches them how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance abuse disorders. From this training, Al expressed that he “learned to be attuned to the feelings and emotional mind sets of those around me”. Al is now a volunteer with the Recreation Department of the Jerry Pettis memorial VA Medical Center in Loma Linda, California and is a player and coach of an all-veteran Power Soccer team in Hemet, California. In regard to the position of volunteer with the VA Recreation department, AL assists the staff of Recreation Therapists in providing daily activities and community re-entry opportunities for the veterans in the convalescent, rehabilitation, dementia, and palliative care units of the VA hospital. When acting as a player and a coach for the Power Soccer team, Al assists the head coach by helping structure team practices, utilizing knowledge gained from Clemson veteran camp participation to aid in gameplay and practice direction.
Paige McCune: Recreational Therapist, The Center
Paige McCune works at an adaptive recreation facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and attended Clemson Paralympic Soccer’s 4th virtual camp in 2020. Clemson Paralympic Soccer VA camps not only cater to veterans, but allow other adaptive recreation professionals that work with veterans to attend. Paige attended one of the recent Zoom online camps hosted by the program and stated that she enjoyed “learning about different styles of adaptive soccer, meeting other professionals in the field, and how that despite being online, the camp was still hands on and active.” Following camp, Paige expressed interest in expanding her facility’s current offering of Power Soccer to include blind and CP soccer. When asked what future goals she had in regard to the program she works with, Paige stated that “In the future I foresee that I will still be the coach (of the power soccer program), will lead practices, and will develop programming accordingly. The program also has goals of reaching out to and connecting with a handful of soccer communities in the area.” A major takeaway from camp for Paige was that “it doesn’t matter where we start, but that we started. Soccer can be for all levels and ages.”
Clemson Paralympic Soccer is so grateful for all of the amazing participants that they get the honor to work with and serve. Whether at an in-person camp or virtual, the camps offer a number of great opportunities and interactive sessions that they hope participants will be able to utilize back in their communities, whether that’s coaching on a soccer team or being an advocate for disability soccer. Clemson Paralympic Soccer will continue to host virtual camps for veterans and professionals through the Spring of 2021, and hope to be back out on the field shortly after!
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For more information regarding the Clemson Paralympic Soccer Program and VA Adaptive Soccer Camps, visit http://clemsonparalympicsoccer.org or follow the program on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter @cuparasoccer for updates.
This is it, your time to shine. You have never touched a soccer ball before but here you are staring at it head on hoping that your dribbling, shooting, and juggling are up to par with those right beside you on Zoom joining from all around the world. Then, you realize that being perfect does not matter at all. Not only are you in a free space where learning and growing is the most important thing, but those around you know exactly what you are going through. It does not matter whether you have never touched a soccer ball or if you have been playing since you were five. All that matters is that you are meeting new people, having a good time, and learning new skills.
#CanPlay was the theme for this year’s World CP Day.
This is the exact situation that was created for participants on October 4, 2020 during the World CP Day celebration. Regardless of whether participants were lifelong soccer players or had never touched a soccer ball, the program and sport gave them a way to unite with those who have the same disability, cerebral palsy. For these athletes, soccer continuously serves as a way to connect with others in different ways than their CP. Ashley Hammond, co-founder of CP Soccer and commentator of the World CP Day program stated, “being ‘different’ is handled by all of us in different ways – sometimes we choose to be different, but when you are disabled, you don’t get to choose that. This can lead to a sense of helplessness and anger among other things. Doing ‘normal’ things like other kids do is crucial to bridge that gap between doing and can’t or won’t.”
This year, over 75 countries were involved with this worldwide celebration held to recognize and encourage the 17 million people living with cerebral palsy.
With the goal of giving these athletes access to this wonderful sport, Clemson University Paralympic Soccer, directed by Skye Arthur-Banning, a RHBSSI Faculty Fellow, partnered with the International Federation of CP Football (IFCPF), U.S. Soccer, and CP Soccer to host a World CP Day event for athletes with Cerebral Palsy (CP) from different countries. This national celebration began in 2012 and has continued to grow in its efforts to bring awareness to and celebrate those living with CP. This year, over 75 countries were involved with this worldwide celebration held to recognize and encourage the 17 million people living with cerebral palsy.
Athletes practiced dribbling, juggling and shooting.
Clemson University Paralympic Soccer and partners not only brought more awareness to CP through the event, but to adaptive soccer. The event included many guest speakers, an international training session, and a time to come together with athletes with CP to prove they #CanPlay. There were over 200 participants from six different continents on the Zoom feed that followed along and over 7,000 hits on Facebook Live. To market the celebration, each organization that partnered together used their social media platforms to advertise the event internationally to worldwide CP soccer connections with the goal of unifying soccer players from around the world living with CP.
This event included competitions among the athletes that were skill based such as dribbling, shooting, juggling and passing. To make it more exciting, featured coaches from all over the world were on the feed watching participants complete these skills, and they chose players at every level to receive recognition. In addition to the physical training, participants received encouragement through interviews conducted with special guests who also have cerebral palsy. Some featured guests included: Bonner Paddock, Abbey Curran, Shea Hammond, Bryan Kilpatrick Elliot and Tommy Chasanoff. “Our guest speakers added a very special and inspirational element. The speakers were phenomenal an were able to support the athletes by giving them life advice and sharing part of their stories of growing up with CP,” said Kirsten Windbiel, a graduate student with Clemson Paralympic Soccer.
Bonner Paddock was one of the keynote speakers, in which he encouraged the participants to, “love yourself exactly as you are. You’re perfect and you’re beautiful.” Abbey Curran was another guest speaker, who shared her experience in becoming the first contestant with a disability to win a major beauty pageant. After earning the title of Miss Iowa, she went on to compete in Miss USA and later on to write, “The Courage to Compete: Living with Cerebral Palsy and Following My Dreams.”
With the COVID-19 pandemic, many would think that this would stop the annual celebration, but Cerebral Palsy cannot stop these athletes, and neither can COVID-19. The online format of the program presented some challenges, such as the many different time zones and languages, as 31 different countries were represented. However, even with these obstacles, the online format allowed the program to continue. While this year’s participation was much higher than expected, Ashley Hammond says that the goal for next year is to have 50 countries represented. In his words, “Think big!”
With the COVID-19 pandemic, many would think that this would stop the annual celebration, but Cerebral Palsy cannot stop these athletes, and neither can COVID-19. The online format of the program presented some challenges, such as the many different time zones and languages, as 31 different countries were represented. However, even with these obstacles, the online format allowed the program to continue. While this year’s participation was much higher than expected, Ashley Hammond says that the goal for next year is to have 50 countries represented. In his words, “Think big!”