Recreational resources for epilepsy patients

Sports leagues

The Angel League

The Angel League is a baseball program for boys and girls with physical or mental disabilities ages 4 - 15 and an adult league for those 16 - 60.

McKinney Magic

972-896-8774

Provides year-round sports training, athletic opportunities and competition in a variety of sports for people ages 8 and older with intellectual disabilities.

RISE Adventures

469-762-5075

Helps promote independence for individuals with disabilities through sports, recreation, and other outdoor events and programs.

Special Olympics - Texas

To find the Special Olympics in your area, go to the website and click on your area on the map of Texas.

Dallas – 214-943-9981
Plano – 972-596-2487
Ft. Worth – 817-332-3433

The mission of Special Olympics Texas is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in the sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

Special Olympics Texas offers 22 sports: Aquatics, Athletics, Basketball, Bocce, Bowling, Cycling, Equestrian, Figure Skating, Flag Football, Golf, Gymnastics, Kayaking, Power-lifting, Roller Skating, Sailing, Soccer, Softball, Speed Skating, Table Tennis, Tennis, Triathlon and Volleyball.

Special Olympics Texas holds more than 300 competitions annually on area, regional and state levels. Special Olympics athletes train intensely for eight weeks prior to each sports competition.

To compete in Special Olympics, a person must be at least eight years old. Children at the age of six may begin a training program, but are not able to compete until the age of eight. A person must also be identified by an agency or professional as having one of the following:

Intellectual Disabilities (mental retardation). Closely related development disability, which means having functional limitations in both general learning and in adaptive skills such as recreation, work, independent living, self direction, or self care.

Therapeutic recreation centers

Bachman Therapeutic Recreation Center

214-670-6266

In addition to serving the needs of the neighborhood that surrounds Bachman Recreation Center, it also caters to people who are mentally, physically and emotionally disabled; and has done so for more than 30 years.

Plano Parks and Recreation

Addy HijarpeTherapeutic Recreation Supervisor972-941-7327 addh@plano.gov

Plano Parks and Recreation Therapeutic Programs provide year-round recreational programs for children, teens and adults from age one year old to over 60 years of age. The programs include outings to local businesses and restaurants, dances, in-house classes that cover academic issues, and programs that include arts and crafts, music, games and a lot of social interaction. The programs are created specifically for individuals with special needs and each program is geared to a specific age group. The programs provide fun and peer social interaction for the participants as well as respite for the families. It is a safe environment for families to leave their children.

Soaring Eagle Center - Desoto

972-223-2450

Serves young adults with developmental disabilities and their families through Special Olympics, social activities, educational classes and a day program.

Southwest Wheelchair Athletic Association - Hurst

Provides wheelchair basketball, track, soccer, and other sports for people with disabilities.

The YMCA

Offer a variety of sports and other recreational activities for people with special needs YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas 214-880-9622 www.ymcadallas.org

Go to “Locations” in order to find the information to over 20 branches of The YMCA in Dallas

Tennis

Dallas Wheelchair Tennis Club

972-317-7972

Strives to create opportunities to improve the physical and emotional qualities of life for people with disabilities.

Gymnastics

Special Needs Gymnastics (North Richland Hills)

806-438-3227 or 214-813-7074

Private and semi-private gymnastics for persons of any age who require special attention.

Adaptive adventure sports

Metroplex Adaptive Water Sports

214-803-9955

Provides opportunities for people with disabilities to experience water sports.

Performing arts

JESTERS! at Highland Park United Methodist Church

Ramsey Patton (Jesters coordinator)214-521-3111 or 214-523-2134 pattonr@hpumc.org

A performing theater group which stars teens (age 16 and up) and adults who have autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy (cp), or other disabilities and who might enjoy a theater experience.