Disabled Sports USA

Improving Quality of Life for Wounded, Ill and Injured Veterans Through Adaptive Sports

Disabled Sports USA, a nationwide network of 120-plus community-based chapters operating in 42 states, provides disabled individuals independence and confidence through sports and educational programs. DSUSA’s Warfighter Sports program employs adaptive sports to rebuild the lives of severely wounded, ill, and injured post-9/11 veterans and service members. Adapt2Achieve trainings teach instructors best practices for program administration and feature opportunities for hands-on, practical training exercises so that instructors can continue to provide safe, best-in-class adaptive sports opportunities in their communities. This NFL-BWF Healthy Lifestyle and Creating Community (HLCC) grant will provide both community-based adaptive sports opportunities to post-9/11 veterans and service members, and also Adapt2Achieve training to instructors from programs around the country. This groundbreaking grant will also fund the first ever implementation of wheelchair football, giving veterans the opportunity to participate in wheelchair football in DSUSA chapters across the country. With this HLCC grant, DSUSA will develop the rules, framework, officials training content, and the competition and training schedule, to create and support a sustainable infrastructure that DSUSA chapters and other adaptive sports programs can build upon to expand the availability of wheelchair football nationally.