Speedway Lacking in Special Needs Sports Programs

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Devan White helps Kasey run to first base at Meadowood Park.
Photo by Linda Karn
(posted July 8)

"It was a big leap" for Robin Stroke to let her five-year-old play kickball with other children in the Speedway Parks program.

Stroke knew as a mother she needed to heed to her day care provider Denise Crane's advice and let Kasey discover her true potential as a child suffering from Down syndrome. Crane advised her to enroll Kasey because she needed to work on her social skills. Stroke is not aware of any west side special needs sports programs.

Stroke said the first day she let Kasey participate she was at work watching the clock, trying to speculate when the game would be over so she could call Crane to get the report.

Stroke admitted during that first day she was not sure how accepting and patient the other children and parents would be of Kasey, since her learning curve requires more repetitive experiences more than others. She commended the high school kids with their support to help Kasey participate.

However, she explained that Kasey is like every other five year old. She is capable of manipulating the system and can easily have the girls carry her from base to base. As for her 12-year-old sister Kit, she is not exempt from Kasey pushing her buttons. It is not uncommon for sibling fights over Kasey getting into Kit's stuff.

"I would not trade her (Denise) for the world," Stroke said. Crane is one of a few child care providers that will care for special needs children and main stream them with the other children she cares for. Crane and two other adults watch nine children. Crane has been watching special needs children for 16 years because "nobody else would do it." She said a typical day is called "organized chaos". Crane said she is a stickler about the keeping them groomed before going out in public. Although Kasey has Down syndrome, it doesn't mean she has to have unruly hair.

Crane said the children have grown up accepting Kasey as "my friend" and that she is the "one that stands in front of the TV."

Crane believes that special needs children have a lot more potential that is never tapped into because parents often get caught up in coddling them because of their disability, instead of teaching them skills. She said some of the behavior is nothing more than learned behavior that can be corrected. She said Kasey has learned to eat with a spoon. She said that one of her previous special needs kids was finally able to be potty trained at age eight.

Stroke also worries that Kit has already assumed the responsibility for Kasey in her later years. Stroke tells her daughter not to worry about Kasey. Stroke insists that Kit goes to college and lives on campus.

Stroke thinks Kasey will be able to navigate the bus system when she gets older because of her ability to identify landmarks now when she is riding in the car.

Stroke said if she could have her wish list fulfilled, it would be to have a special needs kindergarten class and self-contained classes at Speedway Public Schools and a special needs playground. She said her daughter has completed the special needs pre-school program at Fisher Elementary and since there is no special needs Kindergarten class, she must attend Chapel Wood Elementary School in Wayne Township. She expressed that if kids are not able to run and jump independently there is not a whole lot to do in Speedway.

She said the Speedway United Methodist Church has been great to start a special needs ministry. Noble of Indiana is having a summer camp program to serve the special needs kids at the church until August.