“I think people in general have a greater appreciation when they see and play Para sport, it’s a fantastic opportunity for anybody to get involved in something like that.”
For the past four years, Ben Walker has been bringing his students to volunteer at the ParaTough Cup in Toronto. As a physical education teacher with the Academy for Student Athlete Development at the Abilities Centre in Whitby, Ontario, Para sport is already part of their world.
“We work out of the Abilities Centre and there’s a lot of Para athletes and Para sports that go on there, so they see it on a daily basis,” Walker explains.
But as he’s come to see, exposure and understanding aren’t the same thing.
And for Walker, the ParaTough Cup is where that understanding deepens.
From Confidence to Humility
Walker’s students are high-level athletes. They know discipline, early mornings, and the commitment required to compete.
But stepping into Para sport themselves quickly changes their perspective.
“They say, ‘oh, that’s no problem.’ They get out there and they can’t work the wheelchair. Their arms are destroyed after three minutes of Para ice hockey. Sitting volleyball, they can’t stay on their butt – they always want to go up on their knees.”
“They get an appreciation for how difficult it is.”
In those moments, something shifts. What once seemed familiar becomes something they deeply respect.
“They’re all higher-level athletes and understand what it takes to be a high-level athlete. For Paralympians, it’s ten times that.”
Seeing the Effort Behind the Experience
While trying the sports is impactful, it’s only part of the story.
At the ParaTough Cup, students are also exposed to everything that goes into making Para sport possible – the fundraising, the equipment, and the people behind it all.
“It takes an entire community to be able to get together just to run events like this, to raise enough money to buy wheelchairs and buy sleds for Para ice hockey,” Walker says.
“I don’t think they really get a grasp of how difficult it is until they see what a big event ParaTough Cup is and how hard and how dedicated people work at raising money and raising awareness.”
That realization leaves a lasting impression. Because behind every game, every activity, and every moment of connection are volunteers who make it all happen.
A Community They Want to Be Part Of
Beyond the sport and the logistics, what stands out most to students is something less tangible – but just as powerful.
“Para sport seems to be a little bit more of a community,” Walker says. “It’s something they actually don’t experience very often, and I think they really enjoy it when they see it.”
It’s a feeling that keeps them coming back. Each year, Walker’s older students ask if they’ll be returning to the ParaTough Cup. Not because it’s required, but because they want to be there.
“They really like to give back. And they like to see and feel that sense of community that they have with Para sport that perhaps they don’t necessarily get in their own sport.”
That sense of belonging and shared purpose is something they carry with them long after the event ends.
Powered by People Who Show Up
After four years, Walker’s takeaway is simple: the ParaTough Cup is about far more than sport.
“I think people in general have a greater appreciation when they see and play Para sport,” he says. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for anybody to get involved in something like that.”
And it’s an opportunity made possible by a community that continues to show up.
Volunteers who give their time, energy, and heart not just once, but year after year, are at the core of that experience. They are what transforms the ParaTough Cup from an event into something truly meaningful.
Walker’s students don’t just attend, they grow. They don’t just watch, they understand. And they don’t just come once, they keep coming back.
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