The landscape of accessible sports has transformed in recent years, driven by technological breakthroughs making it easier than ever for para-athletes to compete and engage in recreational activities. These advancements have come in various forms, from smart sports equipment and enhancements in prosthetics and orthotics to advances in wheelchair technology, and they are providing more athletes with disabilities pathways into sports.
Unfortunately, the price tag makes these accessible sports advancements less accessible than they could be. As Shuan Butcher, communications manager at Move United, notes, adaptive sports equipment is, on average, 15 times more expensive than standard non-adaptive sports gear. “Adaptive sports equipment often has to be customized to fit the particular individual’s need, body, or disability, he says. “But having the right equipment is imperative to success, particularly for an individual chasing a dream of competing at the highest level of the sport.”
Move United
Organizations like Move United are at the forefront of this movement. The nonprofit is dedicated to adaptive sports and supports more than 200 member organizations nationwide. Jessica Cloy, competition manager at Move United, shares, “We are here to support them and provide resources, whether financial through grants or scholarships or educational resources.”
Through partnerships like the one with disability insurance provider and decades-long adaptive sports movement advocate, The Hartford, Move United has helped distribute more than 7,500 pieces of adaptive equipment to 55,000 individuals in more than 75 communities across the country just over the past six years, Butcher says.
“Through this program, we have been able to provide equipment to individual athletes pursuing their sports journey as well as Move United member organizations,” he explains. “The latter allows a lot more people to be impacted as multiple individuals can try or use equipment while participating with a local program, or it often provides that organization with an opportunity to introduce a new sport or enhance the opportunities they provide in their own community.”
The fruits of partnership
These resources provide critical support to athletes and organizations alike. Some of the recent equipment grants in partnership with The Hartford include:
Custom-fit racing chairs
Five-time Paralympian and three-time Paralympic medalist Matt Scott surprised three athletes with custom-fit track chairs or multi-sport chairs at The Hartford Nationals, which was held in Hoover, Ala., during the summer of 2024.
Sit-skis and snowboarding gear
Three-time Paralympian and two-time Paralympic medalist Keith Gabel surprised 15 adaptive athletes with custom-fit adaptive sports equipment—including Nordic sit skis, snowboarding gear, and alpine skis—at The Hartford Ski Spectacular in Breckenridge, Colo.
$50,000 grant
Separately, a $50,000 grant was awarded to Summit Adaptive Sports, a member of the Move United member network in Connecticut, which allows them to purchase alpine and Nordic sit skis and adaptive mountain bikes to expand the winter programming, as well as a custom kayak and paddleboard for summer programming, for individuals with disabilities.
Adaptive kayaks
Achieve Tahoe, a Move United member organization in California, received a $50,000 grant from The Hartford, which enabled them to purchase equipment for kayaking, archery, hiking, and climbing for its adaptive sports programming.
Programs and development
The financial assistance and collaboration doesn’t end there. Move United has collaborated with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) to improve trail access for wheelchair users to allow disabled athletes access to trails and even helped with the development of offroad wheelchairs, as well as enabled organizations like Catalyst Sports to purchase specialized kayaks for adaptive paddlers. “A significant portion of our organization is also dedicated to veterans and warfighters through Move United Warfighters,” Cloy adds.
Move United Warfighters is a program dedicated to providing adaptive sports to severely wounded warriors. Since 2003, it has served more than 19,000 wounded warriors and their family members.
Additionally, Move United’s educational programs, such as webinars and training modules, provide valuable information to athletes and coaches. These resources cover topics like equipment options, training techniques, and best practices for inclusivity, making it easier for individuals to learn how to engage in adaptive sports.
“We’ve done quite a few virtual online learning opportunities for athletes in various sports that I think have been really helpful,” Cloy says.
These virtual learning opportunities have been used in a variety of sports, such as track and field. In particular, a three-part series was put together with Paralympian Danial Romancuck as he and others discussed the equipment available to para-athletes. “It was highly focused on the wheelchair aspect, and it was helpful because there are so many people interested in adaptive sports, but they don’t always know where to start or the type of equipment they should be purchasing,” Cloy explains. “Danial and the others talked through all of the options out there, the price points, and their recommendations on what to use when starting out as a new athlete or coach. It’s hard sometimes to get into the adaptive space, and it shouldn’t be that way. We’re finding ways to share the knowledge we have collectively and get that information out to help.”
Building adaptive competition
Beyond financial assistance and educational resources, Move United plays a crucial role in supporting adaptive sports competitions. The organization supports dozens of competitions around the country annually. Thus far, there are 34 events on the books spanning 24 states, Cloy says. These range from single-sport events to multi-sport competitions, all aimed at reaching para-athletes. The culmination of their competitive season is the Hartford Nationals, a seven-day championship event featuring seven sports. This large-scale event, to be hosted in Grand Rapids, Michigan, this year, typically attracts nearly 400 athletes, 150 coaches, and hundreds of spectators, volunteers, and family members. “More and more cities are reaching out, and it’s exciting to see them hosting adaptive sporting events,” Cloy says.
A four-time Paralympian and seven-time Paralympic medalist, Cloy understands what’s needed to host accessible sports events and the key considerations to enhance inclusivity. “When I’m talking with cities or venues, I encourage them to start by looking at how accessible their venues are,” she says. “I know it seems obvious, but it starts with walking their venues and looking at them from the perspective of someone with a disability.”
She stresses the importance of looking at details like curb cuts at sidewalks, whether there are paved areas or grass, and accessible bathrooms.
“If you don’t really know what you’re looking for, find someone in the community with a disability and ask them to tour it with you,” Cloy adds.
Another critical aspect of hosting an event, Cloy adds, is viewing para-athletes as serious competitors rather than as part of a special-interest initiative. “Adaptive sports should be treated with the same respect and attention as any other sporting event,” she says. “We want our events to be viewed as events cities want to bring in—not just something they need to do to check off a box.”
With the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles rapidly approaching, it presents a golden opportunity for Move United to expand adaptive sports participation across the country, and the organization is actively looking for more communities interested in hosting. “We are aiming to increase the number of competitions nationwide,” Cloy states. “If a city is interested in hosting an event, we’d love to partner with them. It doesn’t have to be a competition—it could be a clinic or a recreational program. The key is growing awareness and excitement for adaptive sports.”
