AzDS is excited to announce our 2022 Holiday Bowling Party. This event will take place at AMF Mesa Lanes located at 2115 E. Southern Ave., Mesa, AZ 85204 on Saturday December 17th at 4pm. Help us celebrate the holidays by sporting your favorite ugly sweater! Food, drinks, and holiday treats will be provided. The cost to register is $10 per person, all family and friends are welcome to register. We hope to see you there! (In an ugly sweater) Registration closes December 10th! Register Here!
IMPORTANT NEWS: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HIRED!
Arizona Disabled Sports is pleased to announce Carol Leicht as the next Executive Director! Carol developed non-profit experience as the Events & Marketing Manager for the 100 Club of Arizona. Carol comes to AZDS with an extensive background in financial responsibility as Controller in the golf industry for sixteen years. Her organization and attention to detail have made her the go-to event person in the golf industry, organizing many golf tournaments over the years. Her twenty years of experience working numerous special events and competitions in the special needs community include directing the Special Olympics Arizona State Golf competitions and the 2012 Special Olympics North America National Invitational tournament. A Michigan native, Carol obtained her degree in marketing from Eastern Michigan University. Carol and her husband Greg live in Gilbert. Parents to four daughters, spare time is rare with two of the four girls at home. Carol & Greg are the owners of their daughter Ellie’s club softball team, Grind Time. When they are not on the ball field, they are in the gym watching Megan compete for USA Starz Cheer. Carol works by the motto “you will never regret doing the right thing.” She looks forward to doing the right thing for the athletes and families of AZDS to assure no one sits on the sidelines!
Carol Leicht
Important Ability Ball Update
Dear Supporters of Arizona Disabled Sports,
With a heavy heart we are announcing the cancellation of our 2022 Annual Fundraiser due to the exit of our Executive Director and staffing changes within the organization.
The planning committee has secured a date to host our 34th Annual Ability Ball Fundraiser on Saturday, September 30, 2023 – PLEASE SAVE THIS DATE ON YOUR CALENDAR!
We would like to remind you that we are always accepting your generous donations through our website to help fund the adaptive programs and special events offered by our organization.
We appreciate any assistance you may be able to provide for this year and hope you will consider Arizona Disabled Sports as one of the organizations you choose to support.
Donations can be mailed to our address, to find out more information on donations visit our give page.
More information about our 2023 Ability Ball will be updated and can be found here.
Thank you for your consideration of this request and have a great day!
Ed Wessing
2022 AZDS President
2022 DESERT CHALLENGE GAMES RECAP
The 2022 Desert Challenge Games presented by The Hartford was a hit. May 18-22 we hosted 340 athletes representing 12 different countries who competed in 6 different sports throughout the Mesa, AZ area. Thank you to all athletes, coaches, officials, guides, sponsors, staff, volunteers, and fans who came to the games this year!
2022 Desert Challenge Games presented by The Hartford Video Recap
Arizona Disabled Sports to host the 2021 Desert Challenge Games in Mesa
Arizona Disabled Sports will host the 2021 Desert Challenge Games May 26 – 30, 2021 at Westwood High School, Kino Aquatic Center, and the Broadway Recreation Center in Mesa, Arizona. The Desert Challenge Games provide the opportunity for local, national, and international athletes with physical, visual, or intellectual disabilities to compete in Air Pistol & Rifle, Archery, Swimming, and Track & Field events with the hope of qualifying for Junior Nationals, Adult National Championships, US Veteran Games or the Tokyo Paralympic Games. It is expected that over 400 athletes from 15 countries will compete in the 2021 Desert Challenge Games.
Arizona Disabled Sports has hosted the Desert Challenge Games since 1991 and is the leading organization in Arizona that provides athletic opportunities for individuals with all types of disability. Sponsors of the 2021 Desert Challenge Games include the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, Move United, Hanger Clinic, Ottobock, Touchstone Rehabilitation, People’s Mortgage, and Visit Mesa.
Over 300 volunteers are needed to help facilitate the 2021 Desert Challenge Games. Volunteers will be provided the opportunity to win daily raffle prizes as well as a grand prize $200 Amazon gift card for their support.
To learn more about the Desert Challenge Games visit www.desertchallengegames.com.
Arizona Disabled Sports Receives CAC Designation
Arizona Disabled Sports is excited to announce they have earned the Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) designation from the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). The designation indicates that staff have received evidence-based training through IBCCES to enhance their understanding and mindfulness when working with individuals with autism or other cognitive disorders.
“At Arizona Disabled Sports we are dedicated to empowering individuals with disabilities through adaptive sports and recreation. This means ensuring our staff is properly trained in a variety of areas so that those with a disability can participate in activities they love despite the challenges they face. When we heard about Mesa becoming the first Autism Certified City in the country and that organizations could also receive certification, it was a no-brainer for us to pursue certification because of the population we serve,” said Rhonda Carlson, Executive Director of Arizona Disabled Sports. “We also wanted to join the many other businesses and organizations within Mesa that have received certification to truly show how important it is for all of us to continue to build an inclusive community. With certification, we have enhanced the resources we have available to serve individuals with autism and have better positioned ourselves as an organization that leaves no one sitting on the sidelines.”
For more information about Arizona Disabled Sports’ CAC designation, please visit the IBCCES website at https://bit.ly/AZDisabledSports.
Junior Nationals
The Adaptive Sports USA's Junior Nationals is hosted by Turnstone in Fort Wayne, Indiana this year and two of Arizona Disabled Sports' athletes will be in attendance. Matthew Geib and Valeria Duron are both archers with the organization and we are so excited to announce that they have qualified and will be attending Junior Nationals from July 21st-24th!
Matthew Geib is a 19-year-old archer who has just completed his second archery season with AzDS. Matthew has a traumatic brain injury that he sustained in February of 2016 after being hit by a school bus. Matthew had no prior shooting experience before participating in the archery program with AzDS, and now he has qualified for Junior Nationals with a score of 602 at the Desert Challenge Games. Matthew says that the AzDS archery program has led him to a great group of friends that accepts him for who he is and doesn’t judge him; he has several other participants that he considers to be friends now. His biggest accomplishment this season was beating the goal that John Dee set for him at the beginning of the season. We are so excited to have him traveling to Fort Wayne, Indiana to compete at Junior Nationals!
Valeria Duron is turning 17 years old this month and she has been in AzDS’s archery program for two years now. Valeria has cerebral palsy and she was born at 29 weeks old, so her dad calls her a real miracle. This is her first trip to Junior Nationals, and she has qualified for the event with a score of 626 at the Desert Challenge Games. Valeria thinks that the archery program has changed her life a lot, specifically by motivating her in all aspects of her life and by giving her a group of friends. Valeria also beat the goal that Coach John Dee set for her at the beginning of the season. While Valeria is still rather new to archery, she has a lot of skill and is planning to attend open tryouts for the Paralympics in September of this year. We can’t wait to watch her compete at Junior Nationals!
Congratulations Mark Grant and AzDS!
Mark Grant, former City of Mesa Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities employee of 30 years is still giving back to support people with disabilities. He is now the President of the Board of Directors for Arizona Disabled Sports. He was integral in starting the non-profit organization nearly 30 years ago and stays active as a coach, volunteer, fundraiser, and activist.
The Arizona Cardinals Community Quarterback Award recognizes outstanding volunteers in the state of Arizona ages 13 and up. A panel of community leaders determine the award recipients and award a total of $20,000 to the charitable organizations they serve. This program honors individuals who exemplify leadership, dedication, and commitment to improving the communities in which they live through volunteerism.
Arizona Disabled Sports and the Team Mesa Bulldogs are proud to announce that Mark Grant was one of the finalists this year. Just prior to the game on Christmas Eve, Mark was presented with a big check for $4,000 to be donated to AzDS. Mark is an incredible leader and we are very fortunate to have him on our team! Congratulations Mark!
Award description: http://www.azcardinals.com/community/programs/quarterback-award.html
