About Us

Founded in 1985, America’s Athletes with Disabilities (AAD) is a consortium of corporate friends as well as members and partners comprising both single disability and multi disability groups, organizations and individuals who passionately advocate both single sport and multi sport activities and programs to better serve persons with physical disabilities.  AAD’s Board of Directors is made up of representatives of these organizations.  AAD improves the quality of life for children, young people and adults with physical disabilities and their families through sports, recreation, leisure and fitness programs.  These programs offer persons with permanent significant disabilities the opportunity to develop their physical abilities, foster a healthy lifestyle and experience the thrill of competition.  Participation in sports and recreation also provides a critical opportunity to develop self-confidence, self-esteem and emotional well-being and to improve social, leadership and team work skills.   

Athletes

Who are America’s Athletes?  America’s Athletes are athletes with physical disabilities.  They are athletes who are blind or vision impaired, athletes who are deaf or hearing impaired, athletes who use wheelchairs or prosthetic devices, athletes with cerebral palsy, or athletes who are dwarf or short in stature.

They are athletes who have some type of physical disability that prevents or impedes their ability to participate and compete in sports and other activities available to non disabled athletes. 

America’s Athletes generally do not participate in the Special Olympics.  Special Olympics are for athletes who are primarily developmentally disabled whereas America’s Athletes are primarily for athletes who have a physical disability.  The Olympics are for athletes who do not have a disability.  First and foremost, an athlete is an athlete!

America’s Athletes are able to participate as a result of changes or modifications in the rules and/or the type of adaptive equipment used in a sport.  For instance, wheelchair athletes run the 100 meters in a wheelchair instead of using their legs.  Blind athletes play goal ball using a ball with a listening device (beeping) in the ball so they can tell where the ball is by hearing it instead of seeing it.  Deaf athletes use a light flashing instead of a gun when starting a race.  CP athletes use electric wheelchairs to play hockey instead of their legs.  

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