A sports group for children and youth with disabilities will begin at the gymnastics club in June. Circus teacher Nina Premiere started the band with the name “Colored Bears” and the slogan “Everyone is Special – Together We Are Strong”. The show is also available for children and young adults who want to play sports together without any pressure to perform. A tasting meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 30.
Inclusion is not an issue of course everywhere
It will be a children’s show like Frida. When she meets SÜDKURIER, the little girl takes a few shaky steps into the gravel of the gymnastics club court. One year old Tony is sitting next to him and watching his older friend with a smile. Both children were born with Down syndrome. Her mother Simone Cuvier and Nina Premiere met each other in Sonnenkinder’s playroom.
Both women were professionally involved in integrating children before they had their own. Simone Köfer is a teacher and has worked at Arche Konstanz, an integrated daycare centre. Nina Premiere treats children and young adults undergoing psychotherapy. Since becoming mothers to affected children, they realize that inclusion is of course not an issue everywhere.
Playing together is one thing, but disabled children and youth should also be able to play sports together, according to organizers of the “Die Bunte Bären” group. | Pictured: Natalie Reiser
Sharing is also important in free time
“We want to get involved, but it’s not always easy,” Cover says. It often depends on the goodwill of the officials. Nina Premiere adds: “Community doesn’t just mean that kids can go to school and learn math and German. You also want to do something together in your spare time.”
With their experience, many families would like to have more fun activities with their children that are not performance oriented. This applies not only when the child has a disability, but also, for example, when there are developmental delays. Many of these children would like to play soccer, do gymnastics, or dance. But at a different pace and without competitive pressure.
The gym is ready
With David Kielgos, head of sports at Radolfzell Gymnastics, Bremayer immediately found his ears open. He booked a group gym on Monday afternoon, where balls, towels, and other equipment are available for the sport. When the weather is nice, the outdoor club area with playing equipment and the large lawn right by the lake can also be used.
Premiere says the sporting direction you will eventually take depends on the recordings and the composition of the group. The group is open to youngsters, from toddlers to teens. “We don’t offer off-the-shelf software,” she explains restrictively. Parents should not only abandon their children, they should stay with them. This is especially true when children are young. Köfer and Breimaier want to provide ideas on how to play and exercise. Over time, another gymnastics coach or coach can join.
An accurate sports program must be developed
We’ll see how the group develops and whether some kids can play sports later without their parents, Kilgos says. He has already taken care of a few children with disabilities. “It’s not always easy,” says the sports teacher. Because: “As coaches, we can bring openness and friendliness, but we’re not experts in inclusion.” Premiere is very grateful for the opportunity to present the group under the umbrella of the gymnastics club: “So we are engaged and not alone.”