Participation in Adaptive Sports has been found to provide participants with the opportunities to:
- Improve likelihood of employment
- Improve quality of life
- Improve concentration, planning, leadership, and social skills
- Decrease depression and anxiety
- Improve self-esteem, self-awareness, and confidence
- Decrease pain and dependence on pain medication
- Increase physical activity
- Build strength, endurance, agility, improve balance and coordination
- Create new friendships
- Build knowledge of and promote adjustment to disability
- Increase independence
- Return to activities previously enjoyed
- Develop new skills and abilities
- Compete and have fun!
In addition, regular physical activity can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, Type II Diabetes, stroke, recurrence of conditions, and can prevent other secondary medical complications.
LOCAL RESOURCES
- Action and adaptive sports training, clinics, events, equipment, and resources.
- Wheelchair Motocross (WCMX), adaptive skateboarding, watersports, wind sports
- Contact Tony Torres: 727-265-6080
Central Florida Dreamplex Adaptive Sports Programs
- Sports, fitness, and recreational facility in Central Florida designed specifically for those with disabilities. Sports include: wheelchair basketball, goal ball, power wheelchair soccer, sitting volleyball, sled hockey, wheelchair tennis, sit-skiing and sit-wakeboarding
Clearwater Parks and Recreation
- Therapeutic Recreation program offers adaptive sports programming for youth and adults with disabilities.
Florida Disabled Outdoors Association
- Resources for recreational areas, facilities, programs, events, and opportunities for people of all abilities.
Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation Department
- All People’s Life Center: Recreation Center that focuses on programming and amenities for people with disabilities.
Paralyzed Veterans of America- Florida Gulf Coast
- Local chapter, enhances members’ quality of life by eliminating attitudinal, physical and legal barriers through community partnerships with groups and organizations who share the same goals
Paralyzed Veterans of America- Central Florida
- Provides group bowling opportunities at a variety of bowling alleys in the area. Handle and stick bowling as well as ramp bowling are available.
St. Petersburg Recreation Department
- Therapeutic Recreation program offers adaptive sports programming for youth and adults with disabilities.
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
- Move United
- American Wheelchair Bowling Association
- Amputee Coalition
- BlazeSports America
- National Ability Center
- National Wheelchair Softball Association
- Paralyzed Veterans of America
- Special Olympics
- US Paralympic Sports Clubs
- Wheelchair Lacrosse Association
- American Collegiate Society for Adapted Athletics
EQUIPMENT RESOURCES & GRANTS
Action Sports Foundation- Adaptive Sports
Challenged Athletes Foundation
- Provides grants for sports equipment for people with physical disabilities.
High Fives Non-Profit Foundation
- Provides resources and inspiration for those who suffer a life-altering injury (spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, amputation, other mobility limiting injuries).
- Grants are awarded to individuals with disabilities to increase physical activity and allow children to enjoy the benefits of physical fitness.
- Goal of the organization is to break down the financial barrier to living an active lifestyle for individuals with SCI
- Assists candidates with funding to cover specialized equipment and recreational activities.
- Sports wheelchairs
- Contact us: 800-532-8677
- Assists children, adults, and veterans with spinal cord injuries by providing funding and grants for equipment and adaptive recreation.
US Department of Veteran Affairs
- VA Adaptive Sports Grant Program provides grant funding to organizations to increase and expand adaptive sport activities for veterans and service members with disabilities.