Message from Executive Director:

Friends,

Before I talk about back-to-school season, I want to start by sharing something we are incredibly proud of.

A few weeks ago, five players who have participated in our Sunday boccia sessions in Burbank traveled to Council Bluffs, Iowa, to compete at the USA Boccia National Championships.

We could not be prouder of them for making the trip and testing themselves against some of the best boccia players in the country. Simply reaching this level of competition is a tremendous accomplishment.

And one of our athletes, Shonna Counter, came home with a bronze medal in her division. Congratulations, Shonna!

It is an especially exciting moment for our Burbank boccia program, which began just a year ago. Seeing five of our athletes go from our Sunday sessions to competing at the national level—and having one of them return with a medal—is a great reminder of what can happen when people are given the opportunity to try a sport, learn, compete and discover just how far they can go.

We are incredibly proud of all five of them.

And now, speaking of new opportunities, back-to-school season is here.

All over Southern California, families are getting back into the routine—earlier mornings, packed lunches, homework, practices and trying to remember who needs to be where and when. For many of the athletes and participants we serve at SoCal Adaptive Sports, school has provided much more than academics.

For years, their school districts may have provided special education, occupational or physical therapy, speech services, adaptive PE, social-skills programs, vocational training and other supports. Just as importantly, school provided structure. It provided a place to go every day, activities to participate in and people to spend time with.

Then, eventually, they age out.

And things change.

The services that families relied upon for years can suddenly become much more limited. Finding programs, activities and opportunities to socialize becomes harder.

But the person hasn't changed simply because they reached a certain birthday.

We spend a lot of time—and rightly so—talking about supporting children with disabilities. Sometimes we forget one pretty obvious thing:

Those children grow up.

Autism doesn't end at graduation. Cerebral palsy doesn't disappear when someone ages out of school. Down syndrome doesn't come with an expiration date—nor does any physical disability.

Neither does the desire to have friends, be active, try new things, laugh, compete and have somewhere you look forward to going.

That's a big part of why our work at SoCal Adaptive Sports matters.

I see it every Wednesday afternoon at our bowling program in the Coachella Valley.

Yes, everyone wants to bowl well. Strikes are celebrated and missed spares occasionally get some good-natured grief. But spend an afternoon with us and you realize pretty quickly that bowling is only part of the reason people are there.

Their friends are there.

They talk. They joke around. They encourage each other. They celebrate birthdays and accomplishments. And when someone misses a week, people notice.

That's community.

And that's what we want to create more of.

As we grow, we're thinking a lot about what happens after the school years and how we can provide more opportunities for adults with intellectual, developmental, neurological and physical disabilities.

That doesn't mean filling every hour of someone's day.

The people we serve have lives beyond our programs. Some work or volunteer. Some take classes. Some participate in other organizations. Someone might spend the morning at one program, bowl with us Wednesday afternoon and do something completely different on Thursday.

That's a good thing.

Our job isn't to fill someone's calendar. It's to give them choices—more opportunities to be active, make friends, learn something new and be part of a community.

So, as all those first-day-of-school pictures fill our social media feeds this month, I hope we'll also think about the young adults who have already taken their last one.

Graduation shouldn't mean graduating from opportunity.

There should still be things to do, sports to play, friends to meet and places where people know your name—and notice when you're not there.

That's the community we're working to build.

Whether someone is eight or 28, 18 or 80, our belief remains the same:

Every Ability. EveryBODY.

Onwards,

Chris Allen
Executive Director
SoCal Adaptive Sports 

Amigos:

Antes de hablar del regreso a clases, quiero comenzar compartiendo algo de lo que estamos increíblemente orgullosos.

Hace unas semanas, cinco jugadores que participan en nuestras sesiones dominicales de boccia en Burbank viajaron a Council Bluffs, Iowa, para competir en el Campeonato Nacional de USA Boccia.

No podríamos estar más orgullosos de ellos por hacer el viaje y medirse con algunos de los mejores jugadores de boccia del país. Simplemente llegar a este nivel de competencia es un logro enorme.

Y una de nuestras atletas, Shonna Counter, regresó a casa con una medalla de bronce en su división. ¡Felicitaciones, Shonna!

Es un momento especialmente emocionante para nuestro programa de boccia en Burbank, que comenzó hace apenas un año. Ver a cinco de nuestros atletas pasar de nuestras sesiones dominicales a competir a nivel nacional —y que una de ellas regresara con una medalla— es un gran recordatorio de lo que puede suceder cuando las personas tienen la oportunidad de probar un deporte, aprender, competir y descubrir hasta dónde pueden llegar.

Estamos increíblemente orgullosos de los cinco.

Y ahora, hablando de nuevas oportunidades, ya llegó la temporada de regreso a clases.

En todo el sur de California, las familias están retomando sus rutinas: levantarse más temprano, preparar los almuerzos, hacer la tarea, asistir a prácticas y tratar de recordar quién tiene que estar dónde y a qué hora. Para muchos de los atletas y participantes a quienes servimos en SoCal Adaptive Sports, la escuela ha significado mucho más que lo académico.

Durante años, sus distritos escolares pueden haberles brindado educación especial, terapia ocupacional o física, servicios del habla y lenguaje, educación física adaptada, programas de habilidades sociales, capacitación vocacional y otros apoyos. Igual de importante, la escuela les brindó estructura. Les dio un lugar al cual ir todos los días, actividades en las cuales participar y personas con quienes compartir su tiempo.

Pero, eventualmente, llega el momento en que dejan de ser elegibles para esos servicios escolares.

Y las cosas cambian.

Los servicios en los que las familias confiaron durante años pueden volverse, de repente, mucho más limitados. Encontrar programas, actividades y oportunidades para socializar se vuelve más difícil.

Pero la persona no cambia simplemente porque llegó a cierta edad.

Dedicamos mucho tiempo —y con toda razón— a hablar de la importancia de apoyar a los niños con discapacidades. A veces olvidamos algo bastante obvio:

Esos niños crecen.

El autismo no termina con la graduación. La parálisis cerebral no desaparece cuando alguien deja el sistema escolar. El síndrome de Down no tiene fecha de vencimiento, ni tampoco ninguna discapacidad física.

Y tampoco desaparece el deseo de tener amigos, mantenerse activo, probar cosas nuevas, reír, competir y tener un lugar al que uno espere con ganas ir.

Esa es una gran parte de la razón por la que nuestro trabajo en SoCal Adaptive Sports es tan importante.

Lo veo todos los miércoles por la tarde en nuestro programa de boliche en el Valle de Coachella.

Sí, todos quieren jugar bien. Celebramos los strikes y, de vez en cuando, un spare perdido provoca alguna broma amistosa. Pero basta pasar una tarde con nosotros para darse cuenta rápidamente de que jugar boliche es solo una parte de la razón por la que nuestros participantes están allí.

Sus amigos están allí.

Conversan. Bromean. Se animan unos a otros. Celebran cumpleaños y logros. Y cuando alguien falta una semana, los demás lo notan.

Eso es comunidad.

Y eso es precisamente lo que queremos seguir creando.

A medida que crecemos, estamos pensando mucho en lo que sucede después de los años escolares y en cómo podemos ofrecer más oportunidades para adultos con discapacidades intelectuales, del desarrollo, neurológicas y físicas.

Eso no significa llenar cada hora del día de una persona.

Las personas a quienes servimos tienen vidas más allá de nuestros programas. Algunas trabajan o hacen voluntariado. Algunas toman clases. Algunas participan en otras organizaciones. Alguien puede pasar la mañana en un programa, jugar boliche con nosotros el miércoles por la tarde y hacer algo completamente diferente el jueves.

Y eso es algo bueno.

Nuestro trabajo no es llenar el calendario de alguien. Es ofrecerle opciones: más oportunidades para mantenerse activo, hacer amigos, aprender algo nuevo y formar parte de una comunidad.

Así que, mientras este mes nuestras redes sociales se llenan de fotos del primer día de clases, espero que también pensemos en aquellos jóvenes adultos que ya se tomaron su última foto de regreso a clases.

Graduarse no debería significar quedarse sin oportunidades.

Todavía debería haber cosas que hacer, deportes que practicar, amigos que conocer y lugares donde las personas sepan tu nombre —y noten cuando no estás allí.

Esa es la comunidad que estamos trabajando para construir.

Ya sea que alguien tenga 8 o 28 años, 18 u 80, nuestra convicción sigue siendo la misma:

Every Ability. EveryBODY.

Seguimos adelante,

Chris Allen
Director Ejecutivo 
SoCal Adaptive Sports 

 

Help us create opportunities for athletes of all abilities.

Ayúdanos a crear oportunidades para atletas de todas las habilidades.

Boccia is back this September at Sports Basement Long Beach! This inclusive session is a great opportunity to learn new skills, connect with others, and enjoy a fun afternoon of recreation. Boccia is a Paralympic sport designed for athletes of all abilities, and everyone is welcome to participate.

We're bringing back Wheelchair Softball to Anaheim this fall! Join us for monthly practices focused on skill-building, teamwork, and having fun in an inclusive environment. Whether you're picking up a bat for the first time or returning to the field, there's a place for you on our growing team. Come play, connect, and be part of the SoCal Adaptive Sports community! 

September is right around the corner, and we’re ready for another month of fun, connection, and adaptive sports! Join us as we bring people together through inclusive recreation, community support, and new experiences. From Wheelchair Softball in Anaheim to Boccia Clinics in Long Beach, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Come play, connect, and discover why EveryBODY belongs. 

Day at the lake with RIM Special Athletes 

Day at the Lake was an unforgettable experience! Participants enjoyed a fun-filled day of adaptive water sports, sunshine, and community at beautiful Lake Arrowhead. A special thank you to Rim Special Athletes for partnering with us and helping make this incredible event possible. We’re also grateful to all the families, caregivers, volunteers, and participants who joined us and made lasting memories together.

Boccia at Sports Basement Long Beach, CA 

A huge shout out to our incredible Boccia Burbank community for coming out and supporting our Long Beach session. Your enthusiasm, sportsmanship, and dedication help create an inclusive space where everyone can learn and thrive. Thank you for being part of the SoCal Adaptive Sports family—we can't wait to see you at the next session! We’ll see you next month at our Long Beach Boccia Clinic—same time, same place—on September 19!

We believe in the power of collaboration in leveling the playing field and truly bringing about societal inclusion. That's why we're listing these events and also websites of our friends who are doing phenomenal work!  Please visit below and click on the links to find out more.

Creemos en el poder de la colaboración para igualar las condiciones de juego y lograr una verdadera inclusión social. ¡Por eso estamos enumerando estos eventos y también los sitios web de nuestros amigos que están haciendo un trabajo fenomenal! Visite a continuación y haga clic en los enlaces para obtener más información.

We are growing our Inland Regional Center programs, including self-determination, and continue to offer 1:1 and small group coaching and workouts.  If you'd like to take part and/or participate in any of our programs, please have SoCal Adaptive Sports assigned by your Regional Center Community Services Coordinator (CSC). Our Vendor number is PJ5601. We are open to many different modalities for bringing adaptive sports and physical, social, and emotional health to everyBODY!

Estamos ampliando nuestros programas del Inland Regional Center y seguimos ofreciendo entrenamiento y rutinas individuales y en grupos pequeños. Si desea participar y/o ya participa en alguno de nuestros programas, solicite a su Coordinador de Servicios Comunitarios del Centro Regional (CSC) que asigne a SoCal Adaptive Sports. Nuestro número de proveedor es PJ5601. ¡Estamos abiertos a muchas modalidades diferentes para llevar el deporte adaptado y la salud física, social y emocional a TODOS!

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Por favor, regístrese para obtener una cuenta para recibir siempre nuestro boletín y no dude en reenviar este boletín a otras personas.

We're growing! SoCal Adaptive Sports is hiring a Young Adult Skills (YAS) Program Manager in Cathedral City. We're looking for a passionate, hands-on leader who enjoys working directly with young adults with disabilities and creating meaningful opportunities for friendship, recreation, fitness, and personal growth. This is a part-time position, and the possibility of adding additional days and hours as the program grows. If you're ready to make a difference while helping build an inclusive and engaging community, we'd love to hear from you!

Personalized Adaptive Sports Coaching with Coach Mike

We are so excited to be offering individual and small-group adaptive sports sessions! Coach Mike will be leading these fun, personalized sessions for athletes of all ages and abilities. Each session is designed to be flexible, family-friendly, and tailored to support every athlete’s goals. Reach out to learn more or get started! Contact mike@socaladaptivesports.org

We’re gearing up for our very first IncrediBOWL Adaptive & Special Needs Bowling Tournament this Summer 2026 and we’re looking for amazing sponsors to help bring this unforgettable day to life. Join us in creating a joyful, empowering event that proves sports are for Every Ability. EveryBODY.
For sponsorship opportunities, contact Chris@socaladaptivesports.org