Easter Seals "Rochester Rookies" chalks up awards

Easter Seals Rochester Rookies, a highly successful sports program that serves children with physical disabilities, chalked up a wide variety of Gold, Silver and Bronze medals while competing recently in New Brunswick, New Jersey and Mystic, Connecticut.

This wheelchair sports team captured 84 medals from the Regional New Jersey competition and 23 medals while competing nationally in Connecticut. Breakdown for New Jersey includes: 64 Gold, 17 Silver, and 3 Bronze while Connecticut netted 9 Gold, 7 Silver and 7 Bronze.

While participating in New Jersey, special awards were also presented: "Coaches Award" (for overall best effort), Mathew Smith, Dansville, while Ryan Chalmers, Churchville, was named "Outstanding Male Athlete."

Rochester Rookies competed against other athletes in a wide array of track and field events. Team members from the area for the New Jersey events were: Ryan Chalmers - Churchville and Jenny Faes - Hilton.

Ryan Chalmers, Dan Chantry, Shawna Lee Ryan, Mathew Smith and Arturo Torres competed against their peers in Mystic, Connecticut. Some 1,000 athletes participated, representing the USA's 50 states plus Australia, Germany and Ireland.

Easter Seals Rochester Rookies provides/promotes and develops opportunities for children with disabilities to participate in recreational and competitive wheelchair sports.

The Rochester Rookies was founded in 1976 by Paralympic Gold Medalist, JoAnn Armstrong who currently serves as the program's director. Gregg Chalmers is Head Coach, Monica Whalen Assistant Coach while students from SUNY Brockport's Adapted Physical Education, Physical Therapy and Medicine program provide support. The team is a junior affiliate of Wheelchair Sports of USA.

The Rookies have an eight-month training session (September-November, February-June). Practice is held Saturdays 1 to 3 p.m., SUNY Brockport College, Tuttle North Gymnasium.