Paralympic Sport Alaska Coach Dave Poulin was recently named one of two Amazing Leaders for 2009 by U.S. Paralympics (a division of the U.S. Olympic Committee). Coach Dave, as he's known by the athletes he coaches, stated "I am humbled to accept this award on behalf of the program. It's exciting to be part of the Paralympic movement. With Title 10 on its way it is great to have a School District endorsing a partnership such as the one that exists between ASD and Challenge Alaska. It demonstrates leadership and foresight on behalf of the district." Coach Dave was presented with the award at the 2009 Developing Amazing Leaders Conference in Colorado Springs, CO hosted by U.S. Paralympics.

"We're very pleased that Coach Dave won this award" states co-coach Jeff Dick (Challenge Alaska). "Coach Dave volunteered with this program for the first two years outside of his full time job as an Adapted Physicial Educator with ASD. Now that this program is an official partnership with ASD and he is a paid coach with the district for both Power Soccer and Wheelchair Basketball, the vision which he has helped to shape has made after school sports for kids with physicial disabilites a reality."   

Along with the award, the U.S. Olympic Committee presented Coach Dave and the Paralympic Sport Alaska Program with a $2,500 check to be used to further develop the program. 

Paralympic Sport Alaska is a program of Challenge Alaska and has separate school age youth and adult components. The youth program is a partnership between the Anchorage School District and Challenge Alaska, while the adult program is operated as a program of Challenge Alaska. 

BlazeSports Alaska athlete Bryan Arnold was recently named a 2009 "Yes I Can!" award winner by the Council for Exceptional Children, an international organziation for Special Education Teachers. Bryan is on of 27 students who received this award, bestowed upon those who have excelled desipite their disability. Bryan has been chosen in the self-advocacy category for the movie he produced about living with muscular dystrophy and acceptance of people like him. It was aired on the local Labor Day telethon and on the Channel 2 Newshour this past fall. He is currently working to distribute his film to as many Alaska schools as possible.  This video can be viewed by clicking here .