Don't Forget to Support the Rio 2016 Paralympics!

Credit: Paralympic Games, Rio 2016,
and creators of logo

Hey Everyone!

A couple weeks ago, the Olympics took over our televisions as we watched athletes from across the world compete in different sporting events like track & field, table tennis, gymnastics, archery, swimming, rugby, tennis, rowing, etc.

In the end, United States had the most medals of any other nation (thanks to swimming and track & field which were two of the most winning sports for our country). The Rio Olympics were one of the biggest Olympics as there were many records broken, medals won, and even drama [Ryan Lochte anyone? green water? and more].

The games came to a close with countries coming together (closing ceremonies) and the world celebrating their elite athletes as they return home to their respective countries. So what's next for these sports? Is that it for another four years??

Not at all.

In six days, another round of Olympic sports (games) will start again! This time - it's the Paralympics (Olympics for elite athletes with physical disabilities). Did you know that? No? Well...it's coming and be prepared to watch!

Because for the first time, in Paralympics history, the 2016 Rio Paralympics will be airing LIVE - specifically 70 hours. Remember when I first posted about it when it was first announced? Check out my previous post (from a couple years ago): Finally. The Paralympics to be Aired Live in U.S.

The 2014 Winter Paralympics were the first time NBC (and NBCSN) aired LIVE events from the Olympics and this year's Summer Games will get about 20 more hours than the previous Paralympics and it would mark about 65 more hours than the 2012 games where NBC only aired one hour highlights each of the five days.

With so much talk about diversity, equality, and more - it is IMPORTANT that you tune in and watch the games because this is a great deal for people with disabilities and the elite athletes who are competing. We need many viewers to watch the games because it will show our kids (with or without disabilities) that anyone has the capabilities of being an athlete.

The Paralympics help break down barriers between the disabled and abled. It is a step that helps bring equality towards all people (remember "disability" has their own group but not brought up in conversations). The following Facebook post is one of the ways Paralympics help bring awareness towards disability and help remove obstacles for people with disabilities (Tatyana McFadden is a great advocate for disability rights and adaptive sports.



Please take part in the Paralympic Movement (watching the Paralympics, sharing about the Paralympics, and more). Talk about the events you're watching and tell NBC that you want more for the future games. Paralympics deserve to get the same amount of air-time as the Olympics do!

Ready to watch some awesome athletes? Then check out NBC's schedule of the events, as well check out other places you can watch the games: IPC selects Dailymotion to live stream 680 hours of the Paralympics Games.

Then come back here and let me know what you're favorite sporting event is!!

Go Team USA. Bring home the gold!

Until Next Time

CGoerlich <3

Updates!

Hey all!

So it's been a few months since I have written a post. I am sorry! I really did mean to write more but life has gotten in the way but I am hoping to write more as the time goes on now, especially now that the new season has begun and I have a feeling all great things are to come this year! But that's for another time. Right now, for this post, I thought why not catch you up with what I have been up to since December (my last post). What do you all think about that? Great? Good. And so we're off!

• January marked the beginning of my second semester of my third year in college. Can't believe it's been three years already since I graduated high school in 2011! This semester, I am taking interesting classes that will help me further my writing skills, computer skills, and knowledge. I am taking the following classes this semester:

1. Disabled Person in American Society
2. Media Journalism
3. Writing Fiction
4. History of Rhetoric in Writing
5. Writing for Cyberspace
   
• So far, this semester is going great and I have already learned so much! There is still about a month and couple of weeks left of this semester and I am looking forward to what else I will learn. For my Writing for Cyberspace class, I am working on a group blog with two of my friends in that class called Bark. and it is all about dogs (how to take care of, treats, food, parks & beaches, etc.) so I was wondering if you all could go check that out! You can click here - Bark. and also for this class, I am working on a Paralympic Movement website so I hope you check that out when I have it done!

• February marked the beginning of a new sports season! I have been going to the gym with my team since around October but now all the sports have started up again! February 27th was our team's opening dinner which brought most of the members of Children's Lightning Wheels back together, as well meeting new teammates/friends. Then March 6th was our first indoor practice = we're off! Some of the members of the team had a swim meet on the Saturday after our opening dinner and did very well. Archery is plan to start this upcoming Monday, and as planned this Thursday will be our first outdoor practice if the weather agrees with us!  I have a feeling this season is going to be another great one and I am looking forward to meeting new people, enjoy the sports that I have, help new members learn new things, and reach my goals that I have set out for myself for this season!
  
• Oh also, I have started a newsletter for my team which helps all the members and non-members keep up with what we are are doing and if you would like one, please let me know through twitter, instagram, Facebook message (if we're friends), or even on YouTube. All links to my social media sites are on the right  side bar -------->

• Raise your hand if you watched the Paralympics, last month, on television! (How many of you actually raised their hands? lol) How awesome were the Paralympians and sports? Awesome right! I know a lot of it was in the middle of the night, that's what happens when the country is about 11 hours ahead of us, but anyways it was still awesome that they were LIVE on television. United States won two gold (one of them being the US men's sled hockey team beating Russia), seven silver medals, and nine bronze medals. This was a great step towards the Paralympic Movement especially when I saw many comments from people who want even more television cover for the Games and also the great support the sled hockey teams got from Olympians and NHL teams, here in the U.S. This was a great experience, getting able to watch these sports on the television and hopefully there will be more hours to come. Remember to keep a lookout for 2016 for the Rio Summer Paralympics for some more amazing athletes and sports in the summer! :) 

So that's basically what I have been up to lately, also working on some side things with my writing that I hope you all will be seeing soon and I have a good feeling that you will. What stuff am I working on? Well, time will tell because I don't like ruining surprises. So, I hope you all have a great start to the Spring, especially after that crazy Winter we had, and have enjoyed this updated blog post. I promise my next one will not months and months away. Thank you!

Until Next Time

CGoerlich <3 

Finally. The Paralympics to be Aired Live in U.S.

I originally wrote this post for my Journalism class and decided to place it on my personal blog :) Hope you enjoy! 

London 2012′s Opening Ceremonies
Courtesy of Google images.

For the first time in 53 years since they started, the Paralympics (Olympics for the physically disabled) will be seen live on television in the United States.

For the 2012 London Paralympics, NBC aired only about 5.5 hours of the Paralympic Games, which were mostly of highlights, and not of live events. The only places you could have seen the Games live were to tune in on the Team USA website and/or their YouTube channel under ParalympicSportTV. After receiving many views on the website and YouTube channel, there were many complaints because they weren’t on television.

HISTORY of Paralympics

1948	First organized athletic day for disabled athletes. Dr. Ludwig Guttmann hosted the competition for British World War II veteran patients with spinal cord injuries.
1960	First official Paralympic Games, held in Rome, and was no longer open entirely to war veterans. 400 athletes from 23 countries competed at the Games.
1964	First organization, International Sports Organization for the Disabled (ISOD) was founded.  It was dedicated to focus on advancement of athletic opportunities.
1976	Athletes with different disabilities were included to take part in the Games. Also, in Sweden, the first Winter Paralympic Games were held.
1988	First time the term “Paralympic” came into an official use.
1989	ISOD reorganized to International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and is the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement.
2001	International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the IPC agreed that host cities would have to manage both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
2012	London 2012 held the largest Paralympics ever with 4,302 athletes which have shown a major growth between 1960 and now.
2013	Was announced that NBC will show television coverage of both the 2014 Winter Games and 2016 Summer Games.

NBC Olympics and the U.S. Olympic Committee have come together and agreed on coverage of the 2014 Winter Paralympics and the 2016 Summer Olympics.

The Winter Paralympics will be held in Sochi, Russia during the week of March 7-16. It will receive 50 hours of television coverage.

2016 Summer Paralympics will be held in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil during the week of September 7-18. It will receive 66 hours of television coverage.

Sports to be seen at the Winter Paralympics:

- Alpine Skiing
- Biathlon
- Cross-Country Skiing
- Ice Sledge Hockey
- Wheelchair curling

Interested in watching the Paralympics? Tune in at NBC and NBCSN (NBC Sports Network) and again the Team USA website and YouTube Channel.