School of Kinesiology program gives children with special needs a chance to ‘lose the training wheels’ and master the bicycle.
At first glance, it’s a classic scene: children riding in a tightly controlled circle, sometimes a little uncertain, but smiling and laughing as they develop the feel for how to handle a bike. Proud parents look on, happy to see their children mastering such a milestone. But an observer of this happy scene would notice that, in place of the standard rear wheel, these bikes have a tapered roller bar. They would also notice that each of the children is accompanied by a volunteer who runs alongside the bike, giving words of encouragement and quickly reaching out if a child needs support.
The children on the bikes all have a special need, such as Autism or Down Syndrome. They are participating in the fifth annual Lose the Training Wheels camp, a partnership between the Marshall University School of Kinesiology and iCan Shine, a nonprofit that promotes physical activity for children with special needs. The idea to host a Lose the Training Wheels camp at Marshall came to Dr. Gregg Twietmeyer, associate professor in the School of Kinesiology, when he saw a brief video about the program.
“I thought, if I were a special needs kid or a special needs parent, would I want me to start something like this here, or would I want me to say ‘I’ve got research to do. I’ve got teaching to do. I’ve got enough on my plate.’ The answer was, I needed to do this.”
Studies show that 80 percent of the special needs population never learn how to ride a two wheel bike successfully. The Lose the Training Wheels camp reverses this number. At the end of the week, 80 percent of its participants have learned to ride a bike. Twietmeyer credits this success in part to the special bikes used in the camp. Designed by an engineer, the bikes are fitted with a tapered roller in the back that stabilizes the bike to prevent it from falling over while still providing the exercise necessary to master the balance skills needed to stay upright on a traditional bike. The bikes ridden on the first day of camp are fitted with rollers that are nearly flush with the ground. After the children master riding with these rollers, camp staff replace the rollers with a new set, with a higher degree of taper. By gradually decreasing the amount of support provided by the rollers, children learn to balance on the bike. By gradually reducing the support provided by the rollers, much of the stress and fear children feel during their first ride without training wheels is eliminated.
Being able to ride a bike provides physical activity for the children, but perhaps the most important benefits are emotional rather than physical.
“It’s good socially. It promotes peer inclusion,” said Twietmeyer. “Kids are aware. If you can’t ride a bike and you’re 12, and your sister can ride, and she’s 6, you will not go outside and play with the other kids when they are riding bikes. And you certainly are not going to go out and ride a bike with training wheels and get laughed at. You’re going to stay inside and play video games.”
Kaitlyn Canterbury, a Marshall graduate who volunteers with the camp, said she returns to help because she has seen what mastering the skill does for the children.
“I can’t imagine if I couldn’t ride my bike. I love it,” Canterbury said. “It’s part of childhood, but it will also help them in the future, with commuting places they need to go, with becoming independent.”
Marshall students volunteer at the camp, including many from the College of Health Professions. Dr. Komika Toma, assistant professor in the School of Kinesiology, said the camp helps students apply the concepts they learn in class.
“Riding a bike is a motor learning skill,” Toma said. “It’s good for the students to see how people learn motor skills. And I want my students to see how physical activity stimulates the brain and makes people happier.”
Janna Wells, a graduate student in sports administration who worked the camp as part of her graduate internship hours, said the joy of the children and parents make her want to return next year.
“It’s awesome to see the kids’ reaction, the smile on their faces, to see the parents start to cry when they see their child riding,” Wells said.
Hosting the camp requires community sponsors and many volunteers. Participants pay a registration fee of $100 for the week-long camp. A limited number of scholarships are available. Each year, the camp can host as many as 35 participants.
With Twietmeyer leaving Marshall this fall, Dr. Liz Casey, assistant professor of health sciences, has agreed to coordinate next year’s camp.
“It’s important that the camp continue,” Casey said. “It’s life-changing for some of these kids.”
Parent Andrea Castillo, whose daughter is attending the camp for a second year, echoes that statement.
“I’m so thankful that Marshall hosts this every year,” Castillo said. “It really benefits the kids. I hope people will continue to support the camp, by donating or by coming to volunteer so they can see the kids and how much this does for them.”
Molly McClennen is a freelance writer who divides her time between Huntington and Chicago, where she attends graduate school at the University of Illinois.
Photos: (Above) Volunteer Evan Gooding follows along as Brady McCloud pedals with ease. ‘Lose the Training Wheels’ helps participants gain valuable motor skills, as well as benefit them socially by promoting peer inclusion. (Middle) Haley Reed masters the training course during the 2015 camp. Being able to ride a bike provides physical activity for the children, but perhaps the most important benefits are emotional rather than physical. (Below) Andrew Gooding steadies Ben Reed as he learns to ride a bike during the 2015 camp.