BALTIMORE — The 2024 Paris Olympics are underway, but at Kennedy Krieger gymnasium, the second annual MoveNow Camp hosted and sponsored by Allianz Trade, has kids excited through sports and exercise. The motto is "teach kids they can before someone tells them they can't."
Living with a disability comes with many challenges, but creating an even playing field for disabled children in the sports world is a major confidence booster.
"Doing wheelchair sports is fun for me and I can actually do them and it's a good experience," said Alexa Landers, a nine-year-old member of the Bennett Blazers, Kennedy Krieger institutes adaptive sports program for children with a physical disability.
The second annual MoveNow Camp features field day activities and a wheelchair basketball clinic for middle-school aged children.
"A lot of kids do like sports but they can't do them because of their disability. So it's a really nice program because kids with a disability can do sports that they want to do and there's a lot of options here," said Landers.
Alexa's father, Chad says seeing his daughter compete used to have him feeling anxious.
"The kids confidence grow. They feel like they belong and they feel like they can be successful on an even playing field. When kids with disabilities come here, they're all on an even playing field, they can compete on an even playing field and when you put in hard work, you have success," said Chad.
His daughter having the space to compete brightens his heart.
"Learning that there is a place that these kids can be successful with their disabilities is one of the most phenomenal things to see in your kid when they start to become and feel like they belong somewhere," said Chad.
At this year's camp is someone who grew up in the Bennett Blazers program. 24-year-old Paralympic track and marathon athlete Daniel Romanchuk.
"As a kid with spina bifida, the world probably looked at me and said he can't play basketball or do marathons things like that. But here at Bennett, their motto is teach kids they can before someone tells them they can't," said Romanchuk.
The two-time Paralympic medalist in wheelchair racing loves giving back to younger children who could end up where he is one day.
The Paralympics will take place in Paris from August 28 through September 8.
