The Angel City Games, an adaptive sports festival in the Greater Los Angeles metropolitan area, held its third annual event at the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) June 22-25. This year’s event drew 220 athletes from 15 states. From Paralympians to amateur athletes—including military veterans and active-duty military personnel—participants ranged from 3 to 72 years of age. The event offered five adaptive sports competitions and clinics, the popular celebrity basketball game, its first Charity Fun Run & Roll and Great Games Family Cookout, and an expanded Angel Experience Zone for children.
Image by Tiffany J. Photography.
The Games are an inclusive competition open to athletes of all skill levels who have physical impairments, including amputation. They offer athletes a unique opportunity to compete and learn at world-class facilities, where they can participate in clinics to learn and hone their skills, then engage in competition to challenge themselves against other athletes.
Launched in 2015 and sanctioned by Adaptive Sports USA, this annual celebration of adaptive and Paralympic sports serves hundreds of adaptive athletes, each with his or her own story of determination and passion for sports. The result is a weekend of record-breaking competition, educational clinics with first-timers being guided and helped by longtime coaches and experienced Paralympic athletes, and toddlers starting to test themselves in public.
“The 2017 Angel City Games were an incredible four days of sport and competition for a vastly underserved community,” said Clayton Frech, co-founder of Angel City Sports. “From first time participants to experienced Paralympic veterans, the Angel City Games showcases what’s possible for anyone with a physical disability. It’s been amazing to see the SoCal community embrace this event by welcoming athletes from all over the U.S. and truly experience the power of sport to change lives and empower those who are often left on the sidelines.”
The event draws top athletes who want to help grow the adaptive sports community, and clinic coaches included several U.S. Paralympic Team members.
Angel City Games is the annual event, but Angel City Sports offers monthly clinics and other resources for adaptive sports in Southern California.
For more information, visit www.angelcitygames.org, www.angelcitysports.org, and @angelcitysports on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.