Teacher Needs Assistance for 3D-Printed Assistive Sports Equipment for Disabled Kids

Joe Kabes is a former personal trainer that has taken a job at the Schlegel Road Elementary School in Webster, New York, as a fitness educator. He thinks that the participation in physical activities is paramount to the growth and development of everyone. In the six years that he’s been teaching in the elementary school, he has observed the presence of disabled students that have a hard time getting along with their classmates in terms of the physical activities.

He felt that it was his responsibility to help these students reach greater heights and actually play and move along with their peers, even during P.E. class. During the evenings after his time at school, Joe would go to his garage to try and discover some ways on how to provide disabled kids with the means to play and mingle with their fellow students.

Joe planned and crafted several assistive modules over the months and despite him not having a degree or any experience in engineering, he was able to create a system that would be able to help kids during their activities, even when they’re on a wheelchair or any assistive device; he calls it The Overcomer.

It is a rather fitting name for something that would actually help kids overcome their disabilities and function among other children. The Overcomer is a device that is made of a plastic frame, which is capable of attaching to various types of assistive modules, such as wheelchairs, gait trainers, and braces.

The Overcomer’s attaching frame can be connected to a variety of modules that are appropriate for certain activities, like rings that would be able to help them during activities that require sports balls, or striking attachments for golf or hockey, and even a basketball hoop. This incredible invention can also be attached to items that are meant to help them improve their capabilities when it comes to activities that require weight training.

Videos and photos that showcase the capabilities of The Overcomer have circulated and they have surely gotten the attention of the faculty and the guardians of the children. Along with Joe, they really believe that this miracle device would be able to help many people throughout the world.

Suffice it to say that Joe definitely wants to share his discoveries to the world because he wants to help any person with a disability who may feel left out because of their conditions. He wants to expand this venture into a business because he cannot mass produce his creations with just the spare items he has in his garage, and his teacher’s salary doesn’t really cover everything.

Joe has started a GoFundMe campaign to raise $30, 000 to cover the patents and legalities to be able to recreate The Overcomer through a 3D printer. He imagines that the use of his invention would extend towards the home, hospitals and other facilities for the disabled. He has currently amassed a total of $7,500. It’s a long way to go before he can make his invention a reality for all, but with a bit of help from the goodness of others, it’s a very attainable goal.