Jurnee gets hot new wheels (7 photos)

Jurnee Stadnisky is going to be tearing up the track at the John Rhodes Community Centre come May 19.

That's when, according to her teacher Jody Fletcher, Stadnisky will become the first student competing with physical limitations in Sault Ste. Marie track history

Stadnisky will definitely be the only assisted high school track and field athlete competing in this year's citywide meet.

She was at the John Rhodes Community Centre over the weekend to pick up and try out two new wheelchairs at the Ready Willing and Able Accessible Sports Show.

"I feel amazing. I'm proud of myself and I am excited to be the first athlete to compete in a racing wheelchair in Sault Ste. Marie," Stadnisky wrote. "I would like to thank the Ontario Wheelchair Sports Association for allowing me to use the sports and racing wheelchairs in my events."

Stadnisky (shown) has some use of her hands and arms, limited verbal capability and no use of her legs.

But she makes her feelings well known with her expressive face and serves as an inspiration to many classmates at St. Basil's Secondary School, says Fletcher.

Her coach Randy Stupak was delighted to work with Fletcher and Standnisky's family to find and secure two very specialized chairs for her to use.

The blue racing chair and the orange sports chair Stadnisky will be using for her events are each worth about $6,500.

Her family didn't have to buy them though, because they are being rented to them for a nominal amount from the Ontario Wheelchair Sports Association.

If Stadnisky qualifies at the High School Track & Field Championships on May 19, she will go on to represent St. Basil's and Sault Ste. Marie at NOSSA.

Fletcher says Stadnisky will be the first disabled athlete to represent her school and the first disabled athlete to represent Sault Ste. Marie at NOSSA.

While at the show to meet Standnisky, SooToday.com also spoke with Ready Willing and Able Accessible Sports Show chair Don Calvert.

Calvert said the Sault Accessible Sports Council wanted to put together the event to inform people looking for assistive devices of what's out there and how to get it, and to serve the council's overall goal of including everyone, no matter what their ability level, in sports and recreation.

Calvert said children needing assistive devices have typically been left behind when their class goes on field trips skating or skiing or other sporting events.

"Now they can be active participants," he said. "We have sledges in the other arena so they can go skating. We have sit skis out at Searchmont so they can go skiing. We have water-skiing that is also currently available."

Calvery said the council will serve as a one-stop-shopping portal for people looking for information about what programs and services are available for athletes with disabilities.

The Sault Accessible Sports Council was first launched in the fall of 2009.

It's the Sault's first structured sport council, aimed at creating sporting activities for the disabled, Calvert said.

Sunday's show featured a few special guests as well.

Sudbury Paralympian Steve Daniel talked with many of the athletes and coaches present about training and sports.

Lauren Dickler, a para sports coordinator from ParaSport Ontario, was on hand to present the council with a cheque for $2,500 to be used as seed money for the council and to show ParaSport Ontario's support for the new organization.

Sault MPP David Orazietti was also at the event to congratulate the council on its good work and to offer his support to its efforts.

The Ready Willing and Able Accessible Sports Show was presented by the Sault Accessible Sports Council, in partnership with ParaSport Ontario and Tourism Sault Ste. Marie.

Calvert said that, by the end of the day, he hoped there would be a long list of names and contact information for local athletes and people with disabilities who are interested in recreational or competitive sports.

The council first plans to focus on a few sports that the majority of people are interested in, then to expand its offerings as interest increases.