Move United Sport

We love seeing our member organizations creating meaningful opportunities for Veterans to get involved in adaptive sport.

Recently, Makapo Aquatics Project hosted a powerful introductory paddling clinic at the Newport Aquatic Center, welcoming 10 disabled veterans from Orange and Los Angeles Counties. From assessments and adaptations to getting out on the water for Marco Polo, participants experienced what they call “Makapo Magic.”

We’re proud to see Makapo partnering with local leaders to provide these free clinics and expand access to adaptive outrigger paddling.

Makapo is always open to welcoming new members and hosts monthly introductory paddling events. Interested athletes and Veterans can find upcoming dates on their website.

🔗 Learn more and get involved:
https://moveunitedsport.org/organization/orange-county-makapo-aquatics-project/

🚨 One month until prices increase! 90+ sessions. 500+ leaders. One mission: Breaking Barriers.

Registration for the 2026 Move United Education Conference is LIVE! You have exactly one month left to secure Early Bird pricing for the nation’s premier adaptive sports event.

Preview four days of hands-on learning, including:
✅ Leading strong, sustainable organizations.
✅ Optimizing athlete performance and care.
✅ Creating inclusive youth-to-adult pathways.
✅ Driving innovation in adaptive sport.

Join the advocates and professionals shaping the future of sport before prices increase.

View the agenda and register today: moveunitedsport.org/edcon26



Spaulding Adaptive Sports Centers

It’s , and as part of our 70th anniversary celebration, we’re honoring Jim Winthers, one of the earliest pioneers of adaptive alpine skiing. Winthers was a WWII veteran and member of the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division, known as the “Skiing 10th,” an elite unit specifically trained for alpine warfare.

In 1953, while serving as Director of Donner Ski Ranch in Northern California, Winthers reunited with fellow Army veterans who had lost limbs in the war. Using techniques he observed in Europe, he taught them how to ski on one leg, helping lay the foundation for adaptive winter sports in the United States.

Through decades of mentorship and instruction, Winthers helped train the first certified ski instructors with disabilities and played a key role in the early organizations that would eventually become Disabled Sports USA and creating lasting pathways for veterans and athletes with disabilities and helping shape the movement that leads to the Paralympic stage today. With the Winter Paralympics less than a month away, it’s a reminder that today’s elite competition is built on decades of innovation and determination.

Explore more stories from our history at moveunitedsport.org/70-years.

Gabriel Cardier is an adaptive athlete, entrepreneur, and amputee advocate who lost his left leg in a 2014 motorcycle accident in Los Angeles. His athletic achievements include completing the Las Vegas half marathon and summiting Ecuador's Cotopaxi volcano with Range of Motion Project (ROMP), where his team became the first all-amputee expedition to successfully reach the summit. Drawing from his MBA background and personal experience navigating the challenges of amputation recovery, Cardier is launching Aurushi, an adaptive apparel company to make functional, stylish apparel for people navigating recovery, prosthetics, or movement challenges. Take a listen on this weeks podcast -

Redefining Disability: Move United's Adaptive Sports Podcast - Move United Let’s be real—people are unfamiliar with people with disabilities. At Move United, we believe sports have the power to change the world, pushing people

With heavy hearts, we join the global Para sport community in mourning the passing of Charmaine Hooper, Chief Executive Officer of World Abilitysport.

Charmaine was a tireless advocate for Para athletes and adaptive sport worldwide. Through her leadership, World Abilitysport expanded its reach, supported community and competitive opportunities across the globe, and strengthened the international sport system through its evolution and merger with CPISRA. Her vision helped shape World Abilitysport as the international federation for multiple Para sports, creating pathways for athletes to thrive at every level.

Beyond her remarkable professional accomplishments, Charmaine cared deeply for the people she served. Her commitment to member organizations, athletes, coaches, and partners was felt in every interaction. She led with purpose, integrity, and a deep respect for the Paralympic Movement, earning admiration and trust across the global sport community.

Charmaine was widely respected as a fearless and effective leader whose knowledge, energy, and dedication left a lasting impact. Her legacy will live on through the countless athletes, programs, and leaders she inspired.

We extend our deepest condolences to her husband Jason, her family, friends, colleagues, and the entire World Abilitysport community. She will be profoundly missed.

Read more about her here - https://worldabilitysport.org/news/world-abilitysport-announces-sudden-passing-of-ceo-charmaine-hooper/?fbclid=IwY2xjawP28_hleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA80MDk5NjI2MjMwODU2MDkAAR6itDLj0wREob7tdwoi8n7aOnY9W3ts1bVdFH1DJJQJmTMsffYGOadj7t6gsw_aem_UnukwhxDfYF-y-YqlGwxeg

Rest in peace, Charmaine. 💙

It's ! Some of our most enduring partnerships come from organizations founded generations ago—organizations that have served their communities for decades and, over time, started or expanded their mission to include adaptive sports. These organizations prove that the best community partners evolve to meet the needs of everyone.

Our Deep-Rooted Community Partners:
American Canoe Association - (Fredericksburg, VA) - Founded 1880
Boston Athletic Association - (Boston, MA) - Founded 1887
Adaptive Sports Program - Helen Hayes Hospital - (West Haverstraw, NY) - Founded 1900
Ga***rd Sports Association - (Wallingford, CT) - Founded 1902
Burke Rehabilitation Hospital Adaptive Sports Program - (White Plains, NY) - Founded 1915
Lakeshore Foundation - (Birmingham, AL) - Founded 1926
Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute - (Minneapolis, MN) - Founded 1928
Chicago Park District - Special Recreation Department - (Chicago, IL) - Founded 1934
Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare - Outdoor Adventures and Wheelchair Sports (Pomona, CA) - Founded 1936
Bennett Institute - Kennedy Krieger - (Baltimore, MD) - Founded 1937
Turnstone Center - (Fort Wayne, IN) - Founded 1943
Salt Lake County - (Midvale, UT) - Founded 1946
Reimagine Life Foundation - (Detroit, MI) - Founded 1953
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab - (Chicago, IL) - Founded 1953

Whether they embraced adaptive sports from day one or added it to their services as our movement grew, these organizations have shown up for their communities decade after decade. Their commitment reminds us that expanding access happens when established institutions open their doors wider—and when communities demand it.

Together, we've built a network where legacy organizations and emerging programs, all working toward the same goal: ensuring everyone has the opportunity to stay sports and recreation.

Find a location near you - moveunitedsport.org/location

The Road to the Winter Paralympics Starts with Access & Education ️

With the Winter Paralympics just one month away, it’s a powerful reminder that elite performances don’t start on the podium. They begin with access, inclusion, and coaches and programs that know how to adapt sport for every body.

At Move United, education is a critical part of growing adaptive winter sports. That’s why our Move United Hub includes free, practical resources designed to help instructors, schools, and organizations create safe, welcoming opportunities for athletes with disabilities.

Inside the Hub, you’ll find resources like:
✅Adapted Alpine Skiing Instructor & Coaching Resources
✅ Nordic Skiing coaching resources
✅ Adapted ice skating instructor resources
✅ Education tools that support inclusion at every level — from first-time participants to future Paralympians

Whether you’re coaching youth, working with schools, or expanding an adaptive program, these tools help ensure more athletes have a pathway to the slopes, the rink, and beyond.

Explore the education resources in the Hub and help grow the next generation of adaptive winter sport athletes: https://hub.moveunitedsport.org/

Because the future of the Winter Paralympics is built by communities who believe sport should be accessible to all.

As we celebrate , we're starting where it all began: with the pioneers who transformed rehabilitation into a movement.

After WWII, veterans refused to let injury define their future. Wheelchair basketball games and early adaptive ski programs sparked a growing belief: sport could restore confidence, purpose, and community.

Benjamin Lipton helped turn that belief into reality. Often called the father of wheelchair sports in the U.S., Ben organized the first National Wheelchair Games in 1957 with just 63 competitors. That event sparked a national and then global movement, helping establish the National Wheelchair Athletic Association, Team USA's international presence, and eventually the Paralympic Games.

These pioneers didn't just open doors. They built a framework strong enough to hold them open for generations.

Throughout 2026, we're honoring that legacy by sharing 70 stories that shaped adaptive sports. Read more about Ben and the trailblazers: moveunitedsport.org/70-years

Live from Super Bowl Media Row at the Moscone Center in San Francisco! 🏈

Thanks to The MARC Network, Move United is on site at the heart of the Super Bowl LX action, where hundreds of sports media brands are set up inside the Super Bowl Experience at the Moscone Center, the NFL’s central hub for media activity this week.

We are sharing the mission and momentum behind the USA Wheelchair Football League (USAWFL), the first of its kind football league empowering athletes with disabilities to compete and thrive.

From media conversations to showcasing adaptive sport innovation, league representatives are making sure the voice of inclusive sport is heard loud and clear during Super Bowl Week.

Stay tuned. We have more highlights and stories coming your way.