Athletes Joined Against Spondylitis

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Programs

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Team Fuse is the awareness arm of Athletes Joined Against Spondylitis (AJAS), a non-profit entity based in Cincinnati Ohio.  Specifically, it is a competition paintball team captained by AJAS founder, Brian Warner.

Team Fuse Program

A little about Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) — AS is a systemic autoimmune disease, is a type of arthritis that affects the joints between the vertebrae of the spine, especially those found in the lower back. AS causes inflammation in the areas where tendons or ligaments attach to bone, which then makes the vertebrae merge — or fuse — together. Gradually, the disease moves up, affecting joints higher and higher on the spine. Besides the joints, the bowels, lungs, heart and eyes can also be affected. Two-thirds of all patients, such as the entertainer Ed Sullivan, end up with a curved, forward-stooping posture.

Team Fuse has been charged with raising awareness of AS, specifically though paintball. Specifically, we to increase the awareness of ankylosing spondylitis by:

• Promoting AS awareness through banners, uniforms, appearances and pamphlets in a new, quickly growing market that is covered by
  • Four prime-time cable television stations (Spike TV, Fox Sports, ESPN 2, and Versus (formerly known as the Outdoor Life Network)
  • National trade publications
  • Over 2,000 commercial, team and independent Web sites
  • Live National Professional Paintball League sporting events attended by audiences of more than 100,000 people;
• Becoming a model for athletes with a disability by competing in NPPL and PSP national events each year;
• Chronicling the team’s quest for the national title on paintball Web sites;
• Raising awareness, support and contributions for AS research and treatment through extreme sports, including paintball through multiple channels of information: Web, print, television, radio;
• Giving the disabled and underprivileged a role in our sport and creating opportunities for them to enjoy the game at whatever levels their abilities will allow.

Why Paintball?

While the genesis of this project is paintball, its scope is not limited to this one sport. AS patients are predominantly young men; extreme athletes are predominantly young men. Paintball is the third largest “extreme” sport in terms of revenue, behind only skateboarding and in-line skating, and is the only sport of its kind that promotes a teamwork environment, which is why it is appealing as the launch point for AJAS. In recent years paintball’s popularity and growth has attracted prime-time television coverage from Fox Sports, ESPN and more, as well as team and event coverage from numerous trade publications and Web sites.

Social Environment

AJAS, in conjunction with local facilities, will provide a safe and substance-free “hangout” for youth to participate in after-school and weekend activities and participate in the sport of paintball.

AJAS will create a positive on-line experience for youth to interact with AJAS members on both the national and regional teams, where they can discuss topics of interest relating to both the sport and to living with AS. This site will also allow for discussion with FUSE officers.

FUSE Days

AJAS will host six FUSE Days events each year during the spring and summer months, targeting youth ages 10–17. At the beginning of each FUSE Day, participants will attend a meeting hosted by a regional FUSE officer. Once the AJAS message has been presented, participants will then be free to play paintball under the guidance of Team FUSE. At the end of the day, snack and drinks will be provided along with a closing message.

“Play with a Pro” Days will run in place of FUSE Days during the fall and winter months. The format will be similar to FUSE Days, but without the AJAS officer and will instead feature a professional paintball player who will discuss his/her life in the sport. Following discussion, participants will be able to play paintball with the professional player.

AJAS will seek to expand the FUSE Days scope to establish a national FUSE Day. This will be achieved by replicating the local FUSE Days concept at other facilities around the nation.

Want to learn more?

Visit Team Fuse at www.fusepb.org.