20/07/2020
ABOUT WCMX
What is wheelchair moto-x or WCMX as it is better known and where did it all start ? Well, it all started with Aaron Fotheringham. Aaron “WHEELZ” Fotheringham is a member of the WORLD ACROBATIC SOCIETY. He was born with Spina Bifida, a birth defect of the spinal cord, which resulted in him having no use of his legs. He is the third of six children, all adopted. He lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with his new wife and growing collection of pets.
Aaron has never let anything stop him through the power of manifesting his incredible spirit. Even as a baby and small child, he did anything anyone else his age could do; he just had to figure out how to make it work for him. He rolled over, sat up, and even crawled (on hands and belly, no leg action) pretty much on schedule. Within days of receiving his first walker, he was off and running. Next came crutches, which he mastered quickly. He would put on a Superman cape and blast down the hall on crutches believing, like any other 4-year-old, that he could fly.
Aaron started riding at skateparks at the age of 8 when his older brother Brian, a BMXer, said he should drop in. He had been going to the park with Brian and their dad for weeks, but Aaron would just watch from behind the fence. The first time was scary, and he fell hard, but he was never one to give up just because it wasn’t easy. So he tried again and from then on he was hooked. WCMX was born.
What is WCMX, Anyway?
So your child wants to go to the skatepark and try WCMX for the first time, and hopefully you’ve found this article to help you out! WCMX, or “wheelchair motocross” is also called “chair skating”, or just skating or “riding” by the ones who do it. Regardless of what you call it, it’s downright FU N, and is one of the fastest growing adaptive sports in the USA. One of the reasons it’s growing so fast is that in the sport of WCMX, everyone rides at their own level and is encouraged to push their limits and see what’s possible. There are people of all abilities in WCMX and they’re all unique and have their own style of riding.
As WCMX is a brand new and considered an “extreme sport”, there are definitely hurdles and challenges to consider in deciding if WCMX is the right sport for you. To begin, most doctors aren’t going to recommend it whatsoever, and most any WCMX parent can tell you that. Most of them have caught flack from doctors, friends, and family members over letting their “broken child” take any sort of risk that could injure them. Those same parents could also tell you that their child is far happier and healthier now doing what they love! Kids just want to to be kids regardless of their challenges- they adapt and overcome, and of course, have fun doing it! Able-bodied kids jump curbs on their bikes and ride skateparks every day, so what do you think your kid wants to do? He probably wants to blast off that curb and ride the skatepark too! With proper equipment, safet gear, and a good coach WCMX is within the reach of anyone who wants to participate!
Let’s go over some basics of the sport to get you started.
Helmets- The most important piece of safety gear in WCMX is a full-faced helmet to protect your head. The type used for motocross are the most commonly used, as they offer the best protection from “faceplants”. The helmet should be from a quality brand and meet basic safety standards. A good fitting helmet will be snug and not bounce around, but not too tight. A chinstrap is used to keep it in place in case of a fall.
Safety Equipment- Most WCMX’ers wear skateboarding type knee pads to protect the knees, and elbow pads to protect the elbows.
Wheelchairs- WCMX-specific wheelchairs are getting very popular because regular “hospital-type” wheelchairs are not suitable for WCMX.
Pusher Training- The “pusher” or coach is often the parent or family member of the athlete, and most WCMX’ers have one they work with regularly.
Is It Any Good ?
We’ll let you be the judge of that, WCMX is currently the fastest growing adaptive sport in the world !!
