The Daemen College Center for Allied and Unified Sport and Exercise (CAUSE) will offer 42 sport sampling sessions during this spring semester. The CAUSE program provides opportunities for people with disabilities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, and experience the camaraderie and sportsmanship that comes with athletic participation.
Four total sessions will be offered on a weekly basis. Sessions run for 90 minutes and are offered on Sunday afternoons (two sessions: 1-2:30 p.m.; 3-4:30 p.m.), and Tuesday (6-7:30 p.m.) and Wednesday (6-7:30 p.m.) evenings. All sessions are free and will be held in the Daemen Academic and Wellness Center at 4433 Main St., Amherst.
Each session will be conducted by members of the Daemen CAUSE staff with assistance from Daemen students, student-athletes, and coaches. Participants will be given the opportunity to compete in each different sporting activity, including team sports (basketball, hockey, soccer, and volleyball), individual sports (tennis and bowling), and recreational activities such as fitness training, pickleball, and Zumba/dance. Concepts such as free play, strength and conditioning, flexibility exercises, and sport-specific drills will be covered.
To register, participants (or their caregivers) are required to submit the CAUSE intake form available online. This form needs to be completed only once per academic year (updated annually prior to the fall semester). Registration for weekly sessions will open each Sunday at 8 p.m. and remain open for a fixed period of time, or until the maximum participant threshold is met. There are separate weekly registration forms for Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday sessions. In the event that a session becomes full, those wishing to register will be redirected to a weekly waitlist form.
Professionals and student-athletes working with Daemen CAUSE pride themselves on making a difference in the lives of each participant. The program has been recognized by the NCAA and East Coast Conference for the impact it is making in Western New York.
To learn more about the Daemen CAUSE program, visit daemenwildcats.com/CAUSE or contact program director Brooke Densing at 566-7888.