The second annual Angel City Games brought together more than 225 athletes from ten states to participate in four days of adaptive sports clinics and competition of varying levels. Held July 7-10 at the University of California, Los Angeles’ (UCLA’s) Drake Stadium, the Games featured events for children, adults, veterans, and active-duty military personnel with physical disabilities.
The first two days featured adaptive sports clinics designed to introduce new athletes to track and field, wheelchair basketball, archery, badminton, soccer, swimming, and kayaking. The clinics were led by Paralympic- and Olympic-level coaches, including Paralympians Rudy Garcia-Tolson, Scout Bassett, and Angela Madsen. The final two days featured a Paralympic-style track and field competition, sanctioned by USA Track & Field and Adaptive Sports USA. All results qualified youth athletes for the 2016 National Junior Disability Championships in Madison, Wisconsin, held July 16-23.
The event also featured a celebrity wheelchair basketball game with actor Adam Sandler leading the charge, along with Paralympic basketball legend Trooper Johnson and National Football League alumni Brendon Ayanbadejo, Chris Hale, and Pete Koch, among others.
Twelve-time Paralympic medalist and current LA 2024 vice chair Candace Cable said, “It was my great honor to attend the Angel City Games, and I extend my warm congratulations to the Angel City Sports team for putting on a tremendous celebration of adaptive sport and competition.… I am so excited, but not at all surprised, that the Angel City Games were such a resounding success for a second year in a row.”
The Angel City Games were conceived in 2013 by Clayton and Ezra Frech while Ezra, now 12 years old, was competing at the Endeavor Games in Oklahoma City. The Frechs decided to create a celebration of adaptive sport in their hometown and partnered with UCLA Recreation to make their dream a reality. The first Games, held in 2015, attracted 150 athletes over two days for clinics and competitions in track and field and wheelchair basketball.
For information about year-round adaptive sports opportunities or the 2017 Angel City Games, visit www.angelcitysports.org.
This article was adapted from information provided by Angel City Sports.
CAF GRANT APPLICATION PERIOD OPENS IN SEPTEMBER
The application period for the Challenged Athletes Foundation’s (CAF’s) Access for Athletes grants opens September 2 and closes December 2.
CAF awarded a record number of grants in 2016 through this annual program, which provides financial assistance for adaptive sports equipment, training, and competition expenses for athletes of all ages and abilities who wish to live active lifestyles. In 2016, 2,098 challenged athletes received grants representing more than $3.7 million in support.
For more information, visit www.challengedathletes.org/grants.
This article was adapted from information provided by CAF.
