Adaptive Sports

By David Davis, author of Wheels of Courage Thirty years ago, on July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) on the South Lawn of the White House. The landmark legislation prohibited discrimination on the basis of disability in every aspect of society: employment, housing, transportation, and telecommunications. “America welcomes…

Adaptive athletes worldwide could not be more excited about the Para Spartan, a dedicated heat in the Spartan obstacle course racing series. These heats (Elite and Open) allow athletes to compete as individuals or as teams. That’s the great news…now here’s the kicker. Thanks to their partnership with GRIT Freedom Chair, YOU can try your hand at several…

By Danelle Umstead, Blind Paralympian and former Dancing with the Stars Contestant I first realized I was losing my vision when I was 13 years old. While I had always worn glasses and frequently had headaches, one morning was different. The headache, which usually subsided after putting on my glasses and taking a Tylenol, would…

By Helen Armstrong, Dive Pirates It all started when three women sitting around the table after a great day of diving started talking about their new certifications as adaptive scuba instructors. Who can we teach? Who would be interested? As the news of the conflict in the Middle East filled the airways almost daily, the answer came easily.…

By Lisa Wells, Cure Medical Adaptive sports expert Chris Collin knows firsthand that it can be difficult to find adaptive sports programs within a day’s drive and that are also a good fit for your skills or interests. That’s why we’re sharing his advice below along with an invitation to meet Chris in person at the…

With a design reminiscent of the outrigger canoes of ancient Southeast Asian maritime cultures, a new-to-market product has merged old and new technology to provide people with disabilities access to the open water. It was just last year that avid surfer and Hawaiian native Kawika Watt and his partner, James Rouse, embarked on an exciting…

By Tina Boales, Synchronized Swimming Athletes with Disabilities Adaptive Sychronized Swimming will be featured Abilities Expo Bay Area, November 21-23, 2014. Ever wonder how they do it? How they can hold their breath and flip upside down so “easily” and dance in the water? It’s ALL in the magic of the pool! The combination of dance, gymnastics, ballet…

ACEing Autism a volunteer-driven, nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing our adaptive tennis program to the lives of children with autism. Connecting kids through tennis has been our aim for ten years and counting. Our goal is to provide an hour of fun, adaptive tennis to children and an hour break for parents, during which, they…

By Bob “4-Wheel Bob” Coomber, Abilities Expo Ambassador I woke in a tent on September 17, 2014, anxious to begin what was to have been an epic journey. Though I’ve established quite a few “first summits” for someone in a wheelchair, a 22-mile one-way crossing of the Sierra Nevada mountain range via Kearsarge Pass—at nearly…

It’s hard to grasp the gravity of a major life change. In an instant everything is flipped on its head. Seemingly, no one can be prepared for the emotional intensity and uncertainty that comes with such a shift. Even more so, the choices and decisions you make can build momentum to accelerate you forward or…

Millions of smiles each snowy winter season happen because of one main reason: 8,195 hours of volunteer time. That’s the number of adaptive teaching hours Ontario Track 3 Ski Association delivers every alpine season to enable kids of all abilities to experience the magic of snow sports. Behind each of those hours is a dedicated volunteer ski…

Meet Gianna Rojas of Oak Ridge, New Jersey, known globally as the “One Handed Lady Golfer.”  Yes, you read that right, Gianna was born with no fingers on her left hand, although you would never know it after 30 seconds of meeting her. But there is much more than meets the eye. Ten years ago,…