Sep 1, 2021   SOURCE: BusinessWire

BlazeSports America Celebrates 25 Years of Service and Advancement in Adaptive Sports

BlazeSports America, a nonprofit organization founded after the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games and a leader in the field of adaptive sports and recreation, announces its 25th anniversary. Beginning with a wheelchair basketball program, BlazeSports now offers 12 programs between both Youth and Veteran athletes. Over the course of its 25-year history, Blaze implemented its own Certified Adaptive Recreation and Sports Specialist (CARSS) program to reflect knowledge and advances in the field, while also supporting 10,000 athletes, including multiple athletes currently participating in the Tokyo Paralympics.

“We are beyond proud to be celebrating our 25th anniversary,” states Dawn Churi, Executive Director of BlazeSports. “Since its inception as a part of the 1996 Atlanta Paralympics Games, BlazeSports has continued the mission of expanding the world of adaptive sports in the U.S. and providing a competitive outlet to those athletes that might not otherwise have one. We are looking forward to the next 25 years, as we continue to reach more people who don’t know about the incredible impact adaptive sports can have on the athlete and their families.”

BlazeSports focuses on two groups with physical challenges, Youth and Veterans. These programs include sports such as wheelchair basketball, archery, track and field, tennis, swimming and more. Their programs are offered weekly and include annual competitions such as the BlazeSports ParaGames.

BlazeSports will be celebrating the anniversary with a Blaze Day in The Community on Saturday, September 25. The event, which will take place at Atlanta’s Historic Mozely Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will offer free clinics of a variety of sports including wheelchair tennis, wheelchair basketball and lacrosse, as well as veteran sports such as cycling and archery. The event will provide an opportunity for those who are unfamiliar with adaptive sports to experience them firsthand. Attendees will also be able to watch a BlazeSports wheelchair basketball practice.

In honor of the anniversary, BlazeSports also recently re-branded and launched a new, highly interactive website for a better user experience, which includes a brand video that highlights the offerings of Blaze sports from their own athletes and coaches. For more information about BlazeSports’ programs or how to get involved in the organization, please visit www.blazesports.org.

About BlazeSports America

BlazeSports America is the direct legacy 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization of the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games serving children, youth, and Veterans with disabilities through programs, training and education initiatives. Based in Atlanta and a two-time winner of the US Olympic Committee’s Rings of Gold for impactful programs, BlazeSports is a member of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee - Multi-Sport Organizational Council, and the USA Member Organization of the Cerebral Palsy International Sport and Recreation Association (CPISRA). BlazeSports America will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2021. For more information visit www.blazesports.org and follow us on Facebook/Twitter @blazesports, Instagram: @blazesportsamerica.