Inclusive Recreation: Common Skills and Adaptations

Speaker: Jordan Birdsong, PT, DPT; Louis Nicolosi, PT, DPT, OT;  Madeline "Avery" Underwood, OT; Callie Martin, Senior Therapeutic Recreation Specialist; Seungchan "Chan" Yu, PT; 

General Info

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Target Audience:	Occupational Therapists (OT), Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTA), Physical Therapy (PT), Physical Therapy Assistants (PTA) who are looking to advance their knowledge related to the therapeutic benefits and common skills and adaptations for inclusive pickleball.
Course Date:	Saturday, August 16, 2025
Time:	Registration 7:30 a.m., Course 8 a.m. -12 p.m.
Location:	Lecture: TIRR Southeast  300 Rogers Court, Webster, TX 77598   Lab: Chicken N' Pickle 210 Blue Heron Dr, Webster, TX 77598
Attendance:	Participants must attend the entire course in order to receive CEUs/CCUs and a course certificate. No partial credits given, unless otherwise stated.

 

Course Description: This course will provide participants with a clear understanding of the difference between inclusive recreation and adaptive recreation and sports. Participants will learn key features of developing an inclusive recreation program through the context of inclusive pickleball. Key points will include common activity modifications and adaptations needed to meet the needs of a variety of participants. These modifications will include tools and devices, physical and environmental modifications. Modifications will be inclusive of a variety of player types with a variety of needs. Time will be spent introducing participants to mobility needed for inclusive recreation including wheelchair skills and safety considerations with both ambulatory and wheelchair players. This course will introduce para-pickleball rules and regulations and considerations for mixed ability teams in inclusive recreation. Common barriers and facilitators to participation in recreation will also be reviewed. The lab portion of learning will focus on common practice drills used in inclusive pickleball and how to run and adapt these drills and skills for a variety of learners and abilities. This portion will focus on basic pickleball skills including court wheelchair mobility, serve/rally techniques for participants with limb loss and/or hemiplegia, activity modifications for those with increased fall risk and how to progress/regress skills in session.

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Learning Objectives/Learning Outcomes: Learning outcomes / learning objectives MUST reflect the educational level assigned to the professional development activity. Instructional level based off of the complexity of the objectives related to Blooms Taxonomy.

1. Apply 2 paddle adaptations for participants with limited grip.
2. Explain key considerations for development and sustainability of community inclusive recreation programs and events.
3. Examine a participants wheelchair skills and determine appropriate cues to improve efficiency.
4. Select appropriate drill modification and set up for ambulatory participant with poor balance.

            Assessment of Learning Objectives/Learning Outcomes: Attend the entire presentation and complete course evaluation.

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            Instructional Methods Used: Lecture, Discussion, PowerPoint presentations

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