Motor Activity Clinic

The Motor Activity Clinic (MAC) was established in 1997 to provide quality physical activity programming for Indianapolis-area children with disabilities. MAC serves children ages 3–15 and includes instruction on fundamental motor and aquatic skills.

Description of my Experience

Over the course of the Motor Activity Clinic, I worked one-on-one with my client, M.H., a young, energetic kid who loves to move and loves sports. My sessions were split between the pool and the main gym. Each week I planned 10+ activities across both settings so we could work on different skills in different environments. What I learned about adapted physical activity was less about “adapting” in the stereotypical sense and more about meeting my client where they are.

Reflection on my Experience

This experience taught me that working with individuals with disabilities starts with not bringing a script of assumptions into the room. I came into the first session ready to simplify things, and M.H. was way better at sports than I expected. I also learned some things about myself that I wasn’t expecting. I’m good at building rapport and keeping the mood light. M.H. went from shy to outgoing with me pretty quickly, and I’m proud of that. All of this connects directly to what I want to do after school. I’m planning on a career in education, likely in PE and likely with populations that include students with diverse learning needs, and the skills I practiced in this clinic are the same ones I’ll need there.