WELCOME to Bounce Out the Stigma ®, Founded in 2005.
Our Project is Special, Our Kids Are Unique, & the Wonderful Thing About Both is Everything. Considered by Many,
“The Best Challenged Youth Basketball Program in the Country”.
Stigma is NOT a Physical Limitation, Nor is it an Illness. . .
Stigma is a ‘LABEL’ Applied BY OTHERS, Based on THEIR Perception, That Says ‘YOU Can’t.’
Our Program Educates & Demonstrates to Each Child,
When Your Will Says You Can. . .You Will!
Stigma – We Believe in Change
“Autistic, ADD, ADHD, Epileptic, No Attention, Daydreamer, Slow, Spazz, Dummy” and many times even WORSE . . .Too many kids are given these cruel “labels” before they learn to read. These are “hurtful terms” with sometimes tragic outcomes. Many children, young adults, and their parents face these issues daily. These ” terms ” often accompany peer bullying and restriction from activities! Kids are targeted and again branded by many as having limited capacities in motor skills, emotional comprehension, and, too often, intelligence to participate or interact within “normal” activities. This ostracising is harsh and needs to be stopped.
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Unfortunately, the spectrums are being expanded by non-vested groups to further attach a label to young kids. With one broad stroke, a child cannot play in a community rec program or school events. This forces more kids and parents to feel ostracized from mainstream recreation programs. Kids are separated from peers, peers view the kids differently and parents try to cope. In many cases, kids are placed on prescribed medications that may further hamper motor and learning development. This “roller coaster of community diagnosis” further limits children and tells kids, “You cannot do that, so don’t even try”.
Our Mission – Changing Lives
The Bounce Out the Stigma® Project seeks to empower those kids and young adults with special needs who find themselves the VICTIMS of these labels. Children with special needs are confronted with more than enough challenges in life without facing the battle of having perceived limitations. Far too often, these kids hear, ‘You Can’t’, BEFORE they have even tried! Stigma is a perceived limitation placed in the path of potential success . . . the by-product for children results in shame, fear, isolation, and distrust.
Empowerment – “My Will Defines My Limits”
Many of the kids entering our Programs have never been given fair opportunities to truly experience basketball fun or have a group of peers supporting and cheering on their physical achievements. Equally sad, many parents have never seen a trophy, medal, or award given to their child. Bounce Out the Stigma uses basketball and our unique motor skill development exercises to instill self-confidence, provide unique peer support, and create a true sense of achievement for the special needs family.
Our Mission, Empower Kids to Believe. . .”YES I CAN”.
We Work to Overcome The Labels,
We Build Self Confidence in Our Kids.
“Autistic, ADD, ADHD, Epileptic, No Attention, Daydreamer, Slow, Spazz, Dummy” and many times even WORSE. . . Too many kids are given these cruel “labels” before they learn to read.
These are “hurtful terms” with sometimes tragic outcomes. Many children, young adults, and their parents are confronted with these issues daily. What often accompanies these “terms” is peer bullying and restriction from activities! Kids are targeted and again branded by many as having limited capacities in motor skills, emotional comprehension, and too often, intelligence to participate or interact within “normal” activities. This removes this group from normal confidence-building accomplishments. Unfortunately, the spectrums are being expanded by non-vested groups to further attach a label to young kids.
With one broad stroke, a child cannot play in a community rec program or school events. This forces more kids and parents to feel ostracized from mainstream recreation programs. Kids are separated from peers, peers view the kids differently and parents try to cope. In many cases, kids are placed on prescribed medications that may further hamper motor and learning development. This “roller coaster of community diagnosis” further limiting children and telling kids, “You cannot do that, so don’t even try”.
We Empower
The Bounce Out the Stigma® Project seeks to empower those kids and young adults with special needs who find themselves the VICTIMS of these labels. Children with special needs are confronted with more than enough challenges in life without facing the battle of having perceived limitations.
Far too often, these kids hear, ‘You Can’t’, BEFORE they have even tried! Stigma is a perceived limitation placed in the path of potential success . . . the by-product for children results in shame, fear, isolation, and distrust.
The Bounce Out the Stigma Project’s Primary Goal is Empowerment,
“Limits Will NOT Define You, Your WILL Defines Your Limits.” ™
Many of the kids entering our Programs have never been given fair opportunities to truly experience basketball fun or have a group of peers supporting cheering their physical achievements. Bounce Out the Stigma uses basketball and our unique motor skill development exercises to instill self-confidence, provide unique peer support and instill a real sense of achievement.
We teach Kids and Parents to Believe that YES, THEY CAN!
Our Genesis
A Boy’s Experience Becomes a Cause
A Boy’s Experience Becomes a Cause
What happens when a boy is asked to leave a basketball camp because he had a seizure and his parents’ fight to have him stay?
Mike Simmel is no stranger to childhood adversity, diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 2 he was placed in Special Ed Gym classes because he could not hop, skip, or jump. He understands firsthand the stigma […] Learn More→
Our Core Values
OUR BELIEF
IT'S ABOUT EMPOWERING KIDS TO BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES
OUR PROGRAMS are centered around basketball they teach kids AND THEIR parents, that they do not need to sit in the corner watching others have fun. We don’t put kids in a corner or on the sidelines, they are the center of our attention ON THE COURT! They experience the thrill of playing and hearing cheers.