By NATE DOUGHERTY - 1/14/2011

Skiing and archery may not be the first things that come to mind when thinking of therapy, but for Robert Hoover they are perfect.

Hoover is the president of Oasis Adaptive Sports Inc., an organization that provides opportunities for injured veterans to regain some of their skills and transition back to society by learning new sports.

Hoover, a Vietnam veteran himself, says he had long wanted to create an organization that helped returning veterans. He and many others coming back from Vietnam did not have that luxury, and they instead had to endure a difficult return with little help.

In December 2008 the idea took shape. An avid sportsman, Hoover spends time skiing and sailing and decided he would use those activities to help injured veterans.

Hoover spent the next year researching programs that use sports as therapies, working with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and civilian therapists. He came up with a program that puts veterans through six instructional sessions, helping them reach a point of relative independence where they can participate in the sports on their own.

"This is not potluck," Hoover says. "We're being very systematic on how to make this work. Even as we run the program, we're constantly talking to the veterans, interviewing them and getting feedback on what works and what doesn't."

After gaining 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, Oasis Adaptive Sports started its initial lessons last February. It first offered skiing, then in the summer expanded to include archery and sailing. There are plans to add programs for blind or visually impaired veterans and horse riding and snowboarding this year.

The first year there were nine veterans who took part in programs-four each in skiing and archery and one in sailing. Hoover says he hopes to continue expanding the number of slots for each program, though he never sees the program expanding beyond 60 veterans each year.

Veterans pay nothing to participate in the programs, so fundraising for the small organization takes on extra importance, Hoover says. Nearly all the revenue comes from donations or grants made by local foundations, and much of that is due to the diligent work of board members.

"Fundraising is probably one of the biggest jobs our board has," Hoover says. "For instance, one of our board members was working with the Rochester Corvette Club, and a few weeks ago they decided that all the money they raised from fundraising this year will go to Oasis."

A retired assistant superintendent in the Honeoye Falls-Lima Central School District, Hoover says being in a position of leadership is nothing new. But he has striven to make Oasis Adaptive Sports anything but a one-man operation.

He says he sought board members and instructors with as much passion for the endeavor as he has. The organization even has attracted help from some of the first veterans to go through its programs.

"When you come back, you're focused on your injuries and struggles, and one of the best ways to heal is to give people opportunities to get back into activities," Hoover says.

Mike Scordato is one of the veterans who has stayed with Oasis Adaptive Sports after completing a session. A 28-year-old veteran who lives in Farmington so he can be close to the Canandaigua VA Medical Center, Scordato needs a walker to help him get around.

After graduating from bi-skis to a single-ski vehicle, Scordato is returning for a session this winter in which he will learn to load himself onto a ski lift and negotiate more difficult terrain. He also is doing what he can to spread the word about Oasis Adaptive Sports.

"When I came out of the military, I was seeking out programs like this, and all the people I asked had no idea or direction to send me in," Scordato says. "One day my psychologist called me up and said, 'This crazy guy named Bob Hoover called and said he has this program.' I talked about it with my wife, then called right back and told him to get me in it."

Not wanting other veterans to have to go through the same search for therapeutic programs, Scordato now goes to therapy groups at the VA hospital and puts up posters for Oasis Adaptive Sports.

The non-profit requires participants to bring a support person along, whether a spouse, friend or relative, Hoover says. That not only gives veterans the help they need with the physical aspects of the activities but also builds strong bonds, something Scordato says was important in his search for therapies.

"When I was looking at different groups that work with injured veterans, like Wounded Warriors, most of them couldn't offer to involve my wife along with me," Scordato says. "I found one program in Colorado, and when I asked if my wife could come they said no."

The social aspects of Oasis Adaptive Sports are just as important as the therapy for Scordato. When he returned from service he had a difficult time reconnecting with friends and family because of his physical limitations. Knowing that divorce rates for injured veterans can be very high, he says he was excited to find an activity that could involve his entire family.

"This is more than sports," Hoover says. "We're using this as a vehicle to help veterans recover from post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injuries.

"We work with them on learning the skills of these sports, but another phase is advocacy," he adds. "We want to help create circumstances that allow veterans and support persons to continue to participate in that sport safely and enjoy it."

1/14/11 (c) 2011 Rochester Business Journal. To obtain permission to reprint this article, call 585-546-8303 or e-mail service@rbj.net.