The Dwarf Athletic Association of America (or DAAA) is an American athletic organization that sponsors and organizes athletic events for "little people" or people with dwarfism.
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Founded in 1985[1], the DAAA's purpose is to develop, promote, and provide little people athletes with organized and quality amateur athletics in a supportive environment. DAAA holds the idea that there is a lack of sports opportunity for little people in America and they look to fill the void and provide an environment that rewards dwarf athletes by taking their potential seriously and giving them a realistic opportunity to succeed through hard work and dedication. The DAAA also believes that "the dream of honoring America in international competition should be as real for a dwarf athlete as it is for any other in the country.[2]"
According to its website[2], the DAAA's mission is: "To encourage people with dwarfism to participate in sports regardless of their level of skills." It is also to help dwarfs to realize their true potential in life. Many dwarfs attend this spectacular program to do just this.
The DAAA organizes and promotes dwarf athletics in a variety of sports for a variety of ages. They also sponsor clinics and development events around the United States.
The DAAA has athletes that compete in the following sports:
Due to the medical nature of dwarfism, the DAAA has certain requirements that must be met for eligibility[3]. These requirements include (but are not limited to):
In addition to the development of youth and adult dwarf athletes, the DAAA also organizes a number of local, regional, and national events to promote healthy competition among other little people.
The National Dwarf Games is a yearly amateur competition organized by the DAAA (and local organizations)and only open to little people. Athletes are divided on the basis of age, gender, and functional ability classifications[4]. There are also events for ages 8–15, but these are meant to emphasize in the achievement of personal best. Also, youth seven and under can participate in special (non-competitive) programs where everybody wins[4]. In 2007, the National Dwarf Games were held in Seattle, Washington[5], in conjunction with the 2007 Little People of America conference.
The World Dwarf Games are an international competition (similar to the Paralympics) that allows little people to compete at an international level. The games are held every four years at locations around the world. Athletes that have shown outstanding athleticism during the National Dwarf Games are chosen to participate in the World Dwarf Games[6].
The World Dwarf Games were first held in Chicago in 1993 and was hosted by the DCCC[7]. During this inaugural games, the International Dwarf Athletic Federation (IDAF) was conceived[8]. Since then, the World Dwarf Games have been held every four years at cities around the world.
| Year | City | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Chicago | United States |
| 1997 | Peterborough | England |
| 2001 | Toronto | Canada |
| 2005 | Paris | France |
| 2009 | Belfast[9] | Northern Ireland |
The DAAA maintains affiliations and relationships with the following organizations[10]:
The DAAA has been featured in a number of episodes on the American television Series Little People, Big World on TLC. The show, featured around the dwarf members of the Roloff family, has displayed a number of episodes where members of the family have participated in events sponsored by the DAAA. Zach Roloff competes in soccer regularly, and in 2006, Amy competed in Bocce.