Sparta — Physical education class recently got easier for students who use wheelchairs at Appleview Elementary.
PE teacher Kevin Shuneson did the research and acquired the Overcomer, a piece of adaptive equipment that helps students play hockey in PE class. So far, the Overcomer has only been used for hockey, but it can be adjusted for tennis and baseball as well.
Fourth-grader Alex Engstrom, who uses a wheelchair and is an avid sports fan, is happy to be able to play. He likes to “coach” from the sidelines but now he can actively participate in class.
“Having access to adaptive equipment reduces physical barriers and provides Alex with the opportunity to participate with his peers in the sports that he loves,” said his teacher, Lynelle Geers. “He loves to watch sports, be everyone’s biggest fan, especially his brother Brady, and loves to share his thoughts and opinions of the games that he attends.”
