Adaptive Sports Coalition

Mission

The Dallas-Fort Worth Adaptive Sports Coalition focuses on the abilities of people with impairments, functional limitations, and/or disabilities. We aim to increase awareness, access, and engagement in adaptive and Para sports, physical wellness, and recreational activities.

The Coalition acknowledges that exercise is medicine and should be accessible to everyone, regardless of ability level. Our goal is to help individuals of all ability levels find a safe and healthy way to stay active throughout life.

Research has demonstrated that potential benefits of participating in adaptive or Para sports include:

• Improved heart and lung health and function, mobility, muscular endurance, strength, and balance
• Positive impacts on psychosocial factors, including improved mental health and overall well-being, psychological resilience, confidence, social skills development, and peer and emotional support
• Increased functional independence and self-efficacy
• Decreased social isolation, depression, and stress
• Reduced risk of osteoporosis and obesity
• Decreased fatigue and effects from chronic disease

Meet the Coalition Organizers and Founders

The Coalition recognizes the need to provide comprehensive medical support of individuals with impairments, functional limitations, and/or disabilities when participating in physical activities, recreational activities, or sports. As part of the Coalition, UT Southwestern O'Donnell Brain Institute Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation provides an adaptive and Para sports medicine program in collaboration with Children’s Health and Scottish Rite for Children. The program provides comprehensive sports medicine for athletes with impairments/disabilities and individuals with impairments/disabilities who want to be more physically active.

Attend the 8th Annual Adaptive Sports Expo

Join us at this year's Adaptive Sports Expo on Saturday, October 11, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the UT Arlington Maverick Activities Center.

Explore adaptive sled hockey, amputee soccer, blind fencing, adaptive skateboarding, wheelchair basketball, adaptive disc golf, table tennis, wheelchair pickleball, power soccer, adaptive climbing, and much more.

Then stick around for lunch with Champ, the Dallas Mavericks' mascot, and the Mavs Dancers, followed by a special collaboration performance after lunch.

Learn more about this free event and register to attend.

About Us

The Adaptive Sports Coalition is led by faculty from UT Southwestern’s O'Donnell Brain Institute Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and includes volunteers from many organizations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area with a shared interest in adaptive and Para sport.

See education videos about adaptive sports.

Watch adaptive sports drills from the University of Texas at Arlington's Movin' Mavs camp.

For more information on the Coalition and our partners, please visit our Facebook and Instagram pages, or send us an email at adaptivesports@utsouthwestern.edu.