Welcome to the Standing Ready Season One Finale! “Competitive Adaptative: A History of Sports in the VA” a look at the past, present, and future of adaptive sports within VA. From the very beginning of federal health care for Veterans at the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, sports have played a role in the healing and rehabilitation. Starting with baseball and golf after the Civil War, to the origins of wheelchair basketball after the Second World War, athletics have grown to encompass a number of new sports and serves as therapy for veterans with limb loss, spinal cord injury, post-traumatic stress, and a number of other disabilities. It has also grown its own communities of support as Veterans are brought together by sports to learn and heal. Katie and Shawn speak with Lief Nelson, Director of VA’s Adaptive Sports Program and learn insights into the origins of the program and its history within VA while also learning about some exciting innovations moving the program forward. Finally, we are honored to hear the story of Veteran and Paralympian Kyle Pitman. From his time in Iraq and his journey towards the Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, we gain insights into how cycling has fueled his rehabilitation and what it means to him to continue this long held tradition of Veteran athletes.

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