Why Getting Involved Can Be Difficult
Shooting has big potential to be a sport where people young and old, able bod and para, line up together to compete in the sport we love.
However it can be difficult for people with disabilities to understand what steps they need to take to become involved in the sport, and the pathway for athletes with dreams of representing their country at the Paralympics one day.
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Updating Our Processes
As laid out in the Participation Plan, Shooting Australia has committed to improving the communication and opportunities for athletes interested in getting involved in the sport, and potentially working along the para athlete development pathway within Shooting.
A new para shooting menu will shortly be included as part of the participation section of the Shooting Australia website. This will provide general information about classification for interested participants, and information for event organisers.
The website will also include a classification calendar for the year, a Masterlist for all athletes currently classified, and an athlete development pathway to show where and how to start and what opportunities are available.
Of course each individual case is different and one person’s experience could be slightly different to the next based on a number of factors, this will however be a great starting point to begin to understand what the pathway could look like.
Classification
Shooting Australia will shortly be launching a new provisional classification which will allow athletes from all around Australia the opportunity to be recognised as a para eligible athlete in the sport of Shooting.
All you’ll need to do is consult your local doctor or physio, get them to complete the required paperwork, which will be available on the new section of the website, and send it in to Shooting Australia.
It will then be reviewed by our Head of Classification, and if successful, athletes will have the opportunity to be accepted within the class for which they have achieved recognition at local and state level events.
A national classification will also be held this November as part of the SA Open. National classification will only be required for athletes looking to compete at national competitions and be eligible to hold records in the class for which they have been assessed.
International classification will continue to be assessed on a needs basis for those that have qualified to attend an international competition.
Final Thoughts
I’d like to thank Cathy Lambert from the Australian Paralympic Committee for her support and guidance as I’ve worked through this process to make sure that we as a sport are providing the opportunities to those interested in becoming a part of our community and progressing within the sport.
The information, resources, and classification opportunities will be rolling out over the coming weeks and months, so make sure to keep an eye out on the website and share this information with others.
If you are interested in becoming classified or becoming a classifier for the sport of Shooting, please contact [email protected].
Lastly, we’ve recently been celebrating the story of one of our para athletes, Glen McMurtrie. Click here to watch the video of Glen’s story.