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For people with a disability their involvement in sport is as important as able-bodied athletes.  They have the same needs, drive and dreams as any other athlete. 

Coaching these athletes is no different than able bodied athletes. The coach must understand the person, to focus on their abilities and to help them achieve their goals.

To assist coaches a number of resources have been developed. 

Canadian Sport For Life has developed a comprehensive Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model for athletes with a disability (AWADs) entitled "No Accidental Champion". Virtually everything in the able-bodied Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model is applicable to coaching AWADs. No Accidental Champions is, therefore, only concerned with additional factors that need to be considered when working with AWADs.

Coaching Association of Canada has developed a "Coaching Athletes with a Disability" Manual. 

High performance competitive sport for AWADs is organized by a number of different organizations. In many cases, national sport organizations (NSOs) are the governing body for both able-bodied and disability sport while other NSOs, such as the Canadian Wheelchair Basketball Association, are responsible for a specific sport for AWADs. Some organizations are specific to a particular disability; for example, Special Olympics Canada deals with athletes with intellectual disability and the Canadian Deaf Sports Association is responsible for athletes who are deaf or have hearing impairment.  

At the world level, the International Paralympic Committee (lPC), an organization that parallels the International Olympic Committee, oversees the Paralympic Games, which are held in the same city as each Olympic Games, usually two to three weeks after their close. Special Olympics Incorporated is the international body that oversees the World Special Olympic Games, held on a four-year cycle, one year preceding the Olympic Games.  

The major Paralympic summer sports are archery, athletics, boccia, cycling, equestrian, football 5- and 7-a-Side, goalball, judo, powerlifting, rowing, sailing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, volleyball, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair fencing, wheelchair rugby, and wheelchair tennis. The major Paralympic winter sports are alpine skiing, ice sledge hockey, Nordic skiing, and wheelchair curling. Other sports such as bowls and wheelchair dance are recognized by the IPC, but are contested outside the Paralympic Games.  

The major Special Olympics summer sports are athletics, aquatics, 5 pin and tenpin bowling, football 5-a-Side, powerlifting, rhythmic gymnastics, softball. The major Special Olympics winter sports are alpine and Nordic skiing, curling, figure skating, floor hockey, snowshoeing, and speed skating.

Related Resources:
10 Key Factors Influencing LTAD for AWADs
What's in Addition?
Coaching and Appropriate Competition