The Town of Yucca Valley’s Recreation Department is partnering with SoCal Adaptive Sports to offer a special sports class to the Hi-Desert community. The weekly class is held at the Community Center and features a variety of sports opportunities for locals with physical or developmental disabilities to participate in. Examples include basketball, badminton, pickleball, boccia, and more.
SoCal Adaptive Sports is a regional organization based in Palm Desert that aims to improve the quality of life for individuals with physical and developmental disabilities. Incorporated in 2020, they offer events, camps, and programs to allow participants to play sports with the same opportunity and regularity as able-bodied individuals. The Yucca Valley class is taught by Michael Rosenkrantz, who serves as the Executive Director for SoCal Adaptive Sports. Rosenkrantz has had a lengthy career within the field, having begun working with individuals with disabilities in 2009. Throughout his work, he sees the wide-ranging impact these sports classes can have in the lives of their participants.
“We try to help the athletes develop more eye-hand coordination, be able to follow directions, and engage with others. It’s not just sports; it’s also social and emotional. We use sport as our vehicle to teach and hopefully level the playing field, create more access, and create greater societal inclusion.”
The Adaptive Sports Classes are $5 per class, held every Wednesday at the Yucca Valley Community Center. The youth class, for participants ages 5 through 18, meets from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.; the adult class for participants ages 18 and older meets from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. The course’s current session runs through the end of August.
For more information, visit socaladaptivesports.org, or call the Town of Yucca Valley’s Recreation Department at (760) 369-7211.
