Memories from Toronto

August 12, 2015

          Greetings from Toronto! There is only a few days remaining in the Parapan Am Games! I cannot believe how fast the time has gone. While I am enjoying my position with Wheelchair Basketball, there are other sports I wish I could also spectate while I am here. For instance, Table Tennis would be an interesting event to watch in the ParaPan Am games.

Para-table tennis has been an event since the first Paralympic games in 1960. Para-table tennis is very similar to regular table tennis in which players must hit the ball over the net and into their opponent’s side. However, since table tennis is open to athletes with physical impairments, players can be either standing or sitting. Games are played in best sets of 3,4 or 5 and scored to 11 points.

There are two classification categories for para-table tennis – Physical impairment and intellectual impairment as well as two sport classes: sitting and standing classes. I think this would be an interesting sport to watch since table tennis can get pretty intense as it is. Forest Gump said it best when he said he loved playing ping-pong with his Flexolite ping-pong paddle.

(Sources: Toronto 2015 Table

Tennis http://www.toronto2015.org/parapan/table-tennis ) 

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          I am very sad to be leaving Toronto in a few days. I have become very much in love with the city and all the people I have met and become close with. Some of my favorite memories have been going to a Blue Jays game, taking a boat ride into Niagara Falls, exploring the neighborhoods Kensington Market & Greek Town, and going to Ripley’s Aquarium and the Royal Ontario Museum. I am very excited to end this international experience with the Edge Walk on the CN Tower, pretending to be a princess at Casa Loma, and sailing on Lake Ontario for dinner. Though my time in Toronto has an inevitable expiration date, I know I will be back soon to continue to make memories that last a lifetime.

-Brittany Mebust

Ms. Mebust at Niagara Falls

At work: Ms. Ueberschlag and Ms. Mebust

Scooting around: Ms. Keeling

Enjoying the Toronto Blue Jays game: Ms. Rabalais and Ms. Mebust

Synchronized sweeping: Hard-working Cards at the Games

Prof. Moorman proudly showing more pins

On the big screen: Ms. Peterson and Ms. Simmons

Prof. Presley and volunteers at the Para Pan Am Games

Night at the Museum: "Us when we get home every night"

Enjoying Toronto: Ms. Legenza, Ms. Moore, and Ms. Keeling

That's the spirit: Mr. King playing basketball with a young learner

Faculty fun! Team leaders Presley, Ledford, Gibb, and Moorman