I could never do a good job of sitting on a beach. As a kid I needed toy trucks or buckets and as a, so called adult, I still need toys. I just can’t sit still by the water.

That’s something of our motto at AccesSport as well – we just can’t sit still. We do not allow for any of our trainers to do anything but to be in motion. No we don’t want them to play with trucks in sand. But even in down moments they are to practice something new on a windsurfer, do maintenance on an outrigger, try a trick on a stand up paddle board, juggle a soccer ball, fix a cycle, or improve an adaptation as example. Something of a blessing and curse, this community doesn’t seem to tolerate “sitting still”.

The notion carries over into our programming. As we start a new summer on the water in Boston, Our trainers are being asked about what’s going to be new on the water this year. One of the reasons we go to Florida for our intensive training camp is to try new protocols and devices for the upcoming warm weather in New England. This year, we developed a fairer but more challenging means to play integrated ability soccer so all are valued and challenged on a high level. We also toppled some windsurfing barriers with new techniques for people with hemiplegia to sail on a mono hull windsurfer and means for 2 athletes w/disabilities to sail together and independently on the same board.

At times, I wish we could sit still and live in the present, celebrating the great feats and great people who are AccesSport athletes and trainers. That probably would be a good thing. When I was a minister I preached that the secret to a great life is being able to live in the moment. I’m sure that includes being able to “be” and to savor what’s around us. But I could never practice what I preached. Even now I know we’ve done so much with so many people. I know that our equipment adaptations, our inventions, and our established program is great without change. But putting our collective AccesSport “feet” in the sand and sitting still, just doesn’t work. We have to bring something new to the program each season.

So here’s to those in your lives who can’t sit still. If you are one of us, I celebrate your uneasiness and hope our lives are filled with accomplishment. To all of you who can sit still and who can pause to celebrate your days, I hope you can teach us the way to live in that balance.

Ross Lilley
AccesSportAmerica
President/Executive Director
978.264.0985
978.314.9137 (direct)
www.AccesSportAmerica.org