The University’s students will play a major part in assisting athletes and ensuring their safety at the event.
Originally published on Global Newswire
OCEANSIDE, Calif., Sept. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — For the seventh year, the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) is proud to celebrate the resilience and skill of adaptive surfers as the title sponsor of the U.S. Open Adaptive Surfing Championship. From September 5-8, 2024, spectators and hundreds of international athletes will gather at the one and only Oceanside Pier for the seventh iteration of the event, with USAHS students and faculty volunteers providing crucial support. From its start in 2017, the Championship has evolved into a premier athletic contest, a popular community gathering and a world-renowned showcase for the power of rehabilitative sciences.
“This competition has been important to USAHS since the beginning, and we are so excited to contribute to the 2024 Championship, which is the last stop of the Adaptive World Tour organized by the Association of Adaptive Surfing Professionals,” said Dr. Maureen Johnson, Associate Professor of OT programs and Director of Classification for the Association of Adaptive Surfing Professionals. “Helping these underserved athletes is a unique opportunity for our students to experience the real-world impact of what they’re studying, bringing their textbooks to life.” Parallel to the Adaptive World Tour is the Paralympic Track, where Dr. Johnson also serves as the Head of Classification for the International Surfing Association with goals of getting into the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics.
USAHS students eagerly await the chance to volunteer at the event. They will provide general event support and draw on their expertise in occupational therapy and physical therapy to educate other volunteers and assist athletes on land and in the water. As athletes transfer from wheelchairs to surfboards and move in and out of the rough surf off Oceanside Pier, the career-focused training and interprofessional skills that USAHS students have received will be crucial for the athletes’ safety.
This year’s surfers have their minds set on a $30,000 prize fund and the title of U.S. Open Adaptive Surfing Champion. Meanwhile, as the event draws closer, local volunteers are encouraged to sign up and show their support for the Championship. Those interested in volunteering or attending can learn more here: https://usopenadaptivesurfingchampionships.com/
About the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences
The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) is a graduate institution that offers degree programs in physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, graduate nursing, education, health science and healthcare administration, as well as continuing education programs. Founded in 1979, USAHS educates students through its network of campuses in San Marcos, California; St. Augustine and Miami in Florida; and Austin and Dallas in Texas. USAHS is regionally accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), 1001 Marina Village Parkway, Suite 402, Alameda, CA 94501, (510) 748-9001, https://www.wscuc.org/about/, and demonstrates its commitment to social responsibility through its B Corp certification. For more information: www.usa.edu.
