URI offers surf-therapy program to children

SURF’S UP: URI assistant kinesiology professor Emily Clapham, left, with young surfer Tessa Egan during the Surf Ocean Therapy Intervention program, which helped children with disorders improve their health and fitness.
SURF’S UP: URI assistant kinesiology professor Emily Clapham, left, with young surfer Tessa Egan during the Surf Ocean Therapy Intervention program, which helped children with disorders improve their health and fitness.

The University of Rhode Island Kinesiology Department recently helped 23 local children of varying abilities learn to surf at Narragansett Town Beach thanks to a community-adapted physical education program called Surf Ocean Therapy Intervention.
The children, ages 5-19, recently concluded an eight-week program, where they worked one-on-one with surfers. The children suffered from a range of disorders including Down syndrome, autism, attention deficit disorder and other learning disabilities or cognitive delays.
“There aren’t very many activities for children with disabilities, and the result of the pilot surfing program we did last year showed so many positives,” said assistant kinesiology professor Emily Clapham, who created the surfing program. “There was increased core and upper-body strength, enhanced balance and just a better overall sense of well-being.”
The Kinesiology Department offers the community a range of adapted physical education programs throughout the year. •

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