MARTINSBURG, W.Va – Athletes from the Martinsburg Veterans Affairs Medical Center are set to compete in a pair of national competitions this summer. Local competitors are headed to both the National Veterans Wheelchair Games in New Orleans from July 25-30 and the National Veterans Golden Age Games from August 24-29 in Salt Lake City, UT.
At the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, adaptive athletes of all kinds will compete in events from air rifle and archery to the likes of basketball, bowling and cornhole.
“The event is for adaptive athletes that have suffered catastrophic injuries, disabilities. It can be anything from a spinal cord injury to an amputation or neurological. There’s a certain criteria and basically they’re going to be adapting to compete in sports,” VA recreation specialist and coach Darren “Chewie” Yowell said.
While the competition itself and the spoils of victory certainly make the games worthwhile for some, Yowell says there are numerous other life benefits that come from the games. More than anything, he believes that the opportunity to compete in the National Veterans Wheelchair Games makes a positive impact on the athletes’ quality of life.
“It provides all the benefits that you or I would from get from exercise,” he said, “However, it goes deeper because it improves the quality of life and that’s the ultimate goal of the National Veterans Wheelchair Games is to promote independence, improved quality of life and whole health and wellness through participation in sports.”
When the National Veterans Golden Age Games kick off one month later, competitors over the age of 55 who are enrolled in VA health care programs will get their shot to compete for the gold as well. Coast Guard veteran Sean Murtagh is preparing to take part in the Games for the first time, a decision he made after watching his wife join the team a year ago.
“I got to see my wife do it last year for the first time and it was just so inspirational to see the health awareness and program she went through and just what it did for her physically and mentally so I decided to join it this year,” he said.
The health awareness that drew Murtagh into competing is something that Yowell says is one of the most important parts of the program for Golden Age Games athletes. Not only do the athletes prepare for competition but they also set out to develop a whole health mindset that includes fitness through sports and proper nutrition.
“Their motto is fitness for life which is fantastic and we live by that. The National Veterans Golden Age Games promotes year-round wellness and whole health through sport, participation in sport, developing in structured fitness programs, nutrition, all things that you would think would help with your overall health,” Yowell said.
For Murtagh, who is set to compete in the discus, shot put, javelin, air rifle and three swimming races, a new level of motivation and determination is drawn from training alongside his fellow veterans for a common goal.
“I’ve been pretty involved with trying to stay fit myself the last few years but this is a whole brand new game and its such a holistic approach in terms of the community with the veterans that you have and working with them and being able to see the smiles on their faces and working out with them at the VA Medical Center and elsewhere. We do swimming practices over at Shepherd University so its just been fantastic and its really eye-opening for me,” he said.
Updates on Martinsburg VA Medical Center athletes at both the National Veterans Affairs Wheelchair and Golden Age Games will be available on the VAMC’s Facebook page.
Source: VAMC athletes prepare for national competitions this summer
