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Arizona Disabled Sports | AZDS

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Arizona Disabled Sports

The Mesa Association of Sports for the Disabled, also doing business as Arizona Disabled Sports (AzDS), is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing sports and recreation opportunities for individuals with all types of disabilities. This can include but is not limited to developmental disabilities, orthopedic impairment, sensory deficit and/or neurological involvement.

 

The Association provides year round sports training and competition through our Team Mesa adaptive programs for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities. In addition, sports and recreation opportunities are provided for individuals with physical disabilities through our Arizona Heat physically challenged programs.

 

The Association coordinates various resources in a cooperative effort with Mesa Public Schools and the City of Mesa Parks, Recreation and Commercial Facilities to provide a comprehensive program of sports and recreation to individuals with disabilities of all ages.

 

Because of the unique nature of the programs offered by the organization, participation is not limited to residents of Mesa, Arizona. Many participants in the adaptive programs reside throughout the metropolitan Phoenix area and the entire state of Arizona. For this reason, among others, the organization began doing business as Arizona Disabled Sports in 2007.

 

Approximately 1000 local athletes participate in seasonal training sessions and competitions and an additional 500 athletes from across the country compete in various Association sponsored events.

 

The Mesa Association of Sports for the Disabled is incorporated as a non-profit organization through the Arizona Corporation Commission, recognized as a 501c3 corporation by the Internal Revenue Service. The Association is a chapter of Adaptive Sports USA, Disabled Sports USA and is a Paralympic Gold Level Sport Club. The organization serves as Team Mesa in competitions hosted by Special Olympics Arizona (SOAZ) but is a separate non-profit organization providing programs to athletes with intellectual disabilities in Mesa.

Activities

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Adaptive Shooting

Para Shooting has been part of the Paralympic Games since Toronto, Canada in 1976 and currently is being practiced in over 75 countries. Air Rifle and Pistol shooting is a test of skill and mental discipline, in which competitors use pneumatic rifles and pistols to fire a series of shots at a paper target. Competitions…

Archery

Archery is a versatile activity. It is something that can be done for fun, for hunting, or for competition. “Target shooting wasn’t a thing for me,” said US Para Archery Head Coach Jonathan Clemins. “But I realized I enjoyed shooting my bow as much as I enjoyed hunting.” In addition, archery can be a year-round…

Basketball

In the beginning you had to have a spinal cord injury in order to play wheelchair basketball. But that, much like the game itself, has come a long way since 1946. Today, in order to be eligible to play wheelchair basketball within the NWBA (National Wheelchair Basketball Association) a person must have a permanent lower…

Bowling

Cycling

Rain, sleet, snow, or hail … it seems that no matter the weather, you can always see a cyclist biking for pleasure, on an errand, or keeping fit. The love of bike riding is rapidly growing across nearly every demographic. Cycling has always been a great way to enjoy the outdoors, socialize with fellow bikers,…

Kayaking

When you go skiing, you need to find a mountain and cold weather. You don’t need anything special to start kayaking. Kayaking is just down the road. -Joe Mornini, Executive Director of Team River Runner   Getting Started Looking to spend a quiet afternoon enjoying the outdoors and scenery?  Perhaps you’re more of a thrill…

Soccer/Power Soccer

There is a rapidly growing adaptive sport that is changing the way people think of those using a power chair. That sport is power soccer. “It is not only changing the perception others have, but also how participants think of themselves,” said Jonathan Newman, the Adult Sports Coordinator at Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program…

Swimming

Since the first Paralympic Games in Rome in 1960, swimming has been one of the Games’ main sports.   The thrill of competition aside, swimming offers many benefits including strengthening the cardiovascular systems and the major muscle groups of both the upper and lower body. It also develops flexibility in the muscles and joints as…

Track and Field

Track and Field is the largest Olympic and Paralympic sport in terms of the number of athletes and number of classifications and categories. In addition to the races that take place on the track, there are a number of competitions that take place on the field inside the track. In particular, there are throwing and…

Camping

Goalball

You are on an indoor athletic court and you can’t see. It is quiet. Suddenly, you hear a ball, with three bells on the inside, coming at you at nearly 40 mph. Your teammates are relying on you to stop it from going into the net. That is the sport of goalball. “For any fan…

Running/Wheelchair Racing

Getting Started   Start Slow to Go Fast   Just because you have never run farther than the bus stop, is not a reason to ignore the pleasures of recreational and competitive running. The sport provides many benefits. Besides improving overall health, cholesterol levels, and lung function, running is a confidence booster, a stress reliever,…

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CONTACTS

59 East Broadway Road Mesa AZ 85210

LOCATION

59 East Broadway Road Mesa AZ 85210

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