倡导包容性

当Kate Rogueau博士.D. started coaching youth wheelchair basketball 17 years ago, she never imagined that it could take her to the world championships with the possibility of the Paralympics. 但事实就是如此.

Dr. Rougeau graduated from 韦德体育app官网 in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in Wellness, 健康促进, 和伤害预防(WHP). She then proceeded to earn a master’s and Ph.D. 运动机能学学位. Now a coordinator and assistant professor of wellness and health promotion in OU’s 卫生科学学院, Dr. Rougeau的研究, teaching and passions overlap: educating people about diverse populations – including disability as a diversity class – and the psychophysiological benefits of physical activity for all. “I love sports and what it does for people,” she says passionately. “I want to help give that to others – especially a population that doesn't typically get to participate.”

After falling in love with adaptive sports as soon as she got involved, Dr. Rougeau officially joined the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) in 2009. After a couple of years coaching prep (age five to 13) and juniors (age 14 to 18), she pursued a graduate assistant position at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she helped coach the men's and women’s wheelchair basketball teams. She enjoyed it so much that, while continuing her education, she spent seven years (earning her Ph.D.) in what was originally planned as a two-year position. Dr. Rougeau continued to maintain her involvement in coaching within the NWBA over the years and was ultimately selected as Team Lead for the Women’s U25 Wheelchair Basketball World Championship team. 

Back row, left to right: Alex Curry (Medical), Lauren Perry (Asst. 教练), Kate Rougeau (Team Leader); Front row, left to right: Ryan Hynes (Head 教练), 司库(助理). 教练)

作为团队领导，Dr. Rougeau was responsible for all of the details of the trip, from booking flights and places to stay, to meal planning and the logistics of international travel for a team of 18, most of whom are full-time wheelchair users. 这可不是一件小事, as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) doesn’t exist internationally. 虽然有些国家提供了帮助, 小心, 和参与, travel for individuals with disabilities is unfortunately not always a positive experience. 一度, the athletes were refused their everyday, custom-built chairs at an airport and instead given the equivalent of hospital chairs, which can negatively impact an individual's mobility, 独立, 和安全. Dr. Rougeau解释说, 想象一下有人说, oh you don’t need your shoes – take the size 13, 戴7个小时, 你会没事的. 你不会没事的. We had to advocate for our athletes so they didn’t have to worry about that.”

在博士的支持下. Rougeau and other leaders, the team successfully made it to Thailand in good health. After navigating additional obstacles, including the collapse of the venue roof that thankfully didn’t injure anyone, 比赛开始了. It was a magical experience for Team USA, who dominated the competition. “Winning gold was the best part of the journey,” Dr. 鲁高毫不犹豫地说. “And it was incredible to see the team make new connections and play with people they had never played with before. This group has the potential to be together until LA 2028, which would be incredibly powerful.” 

至于博士. Rougeau, the ultimate goal is the LA 2028 Paralympic Games to accentuate the successes she is building in her teaching, 研究, and service work as a professor at OU. “I’m grateful that my passion and career can overlap, and that I can live my dream,” she says. “I see it as a way of serving my community and my country, and representing myself and something bigger than myself.”

Dr. 鲁格感谢她的导师, 奥克兰社区, and SHS faculty/staff for their support throughout her journey.