World T.E.A.M. Sports 2016 Annual Review World T.E.A.M. Sports Annual Report 2016 | Page 10

COASTAL RACHEL
TEAM
FREDERICKS
CHALLENGE
PARTICIPANTS ATHLETES: 16 | VOLUNTEERS: 16
ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT
PADDLING
LONG ISLAND’S
COASTAL WATERS
ATHLETE
Face of America 2016
Paddling
along
Long
Island,
New
York’s Fredericks
southern coast from
Troy,
New
York
native
Rachel
joined Beach,
the U.S.
Corps athletes
at age 17
to Coastal
Westhampton
the Marine
participating
of the
serve
her
country.
Three
years
later,
she
was
Team Challenge learn the importance of teamwork and
relying
in physical rehabilitation and out of the service,
on partners. The 16-nautical-mile, two-day journey provided 16
adjusting to civilian life following a horrific
developmentally-disabled
athletes from Long Island’s Independent
20-foot training course fall that fractured her
Group Home
Program
with the as thrilling
hips Living
and two
vertebrae,
well as experience
tearing of the
open sea, but muscles
with the and
safety
of the shore only half a mile distance.
ligaments.
“Before becoming disabled I loved to compete,”
recalled Fredericks. “Thankfully, I now ride a hand
cycle and am able to compete again.”
Learning about Face of America from a veteran
colleague, Fredericks was surprised when she
realized she had committed to a 110-mile ride in
two days. Beginning a vigorous training program
on local streets and highways in her home town,
by the day she traveled to Arlington, she felt
ready to tackle the miles.
6
“I was shocked and amazed that I made the whole
ride,” Fredericks recalled. “I never thought I would
make it. I met a great group of veteran and civilian
friends at Face of America, and they inspired me
to keep going.”