Many individuals with disabilities face socioeconomic barriers. Our Ambassador program provides funding for athletes with disabilities to pursue their goals and compete in endurance sports. Our Athlete Scholarship Fund provides financial assistance for people with intellectual and physical disabilities to train with AdaptX-certified coaches.
Why Your Donation Matters
Elevate Expectations
Addressing Socioeconomic Barriers
Making Endurance Sports Accessible
Meet Our Athletes
Zach Josie
“I was born with a rare type of disproportionate dwarfism called Ellis Van Creveld Syndrome. I have extremely short limbs in comparison to a long, almost average sized torso. Needless to say I never imagined I’d be a successful athlete of any kind.
However, when I entered my 20s I decided to take a cycling spin class for some college credit which eventually led to running as well. Today, I am a mid/long distance triathlete, 15x 70.3 finisher, 2 time Ironman and have crossed the finish line of many other endurance events.
Endurance sport came into my life at a very crucial time. My self confidence and belief in my body/physical capabilities were at an all time low. However participating and even being competitive in some of the hardest single day endurance events has drastically changed the way I feel about myself and treat myself.
Endurance sports and more specifically Triathlon, has made me proud of the body I am in and has shown me how privileged I am to be able to push it to its fullest potential.”
Owen Anketell
Throughout my youth, athletics have played an invaluable role. The first sport that I became involved with was Alpine Skiing at the age of 3. For the six years that followed, I was tethered down the mountain just trying to lean into my turns but I always had the assistance of the coaches that were riding with me.
By the age of 10, I began striving for independence and began skiing more independently in a biski and by next season, I was independently descending the mountain in a mono ski. I got more involved in handcycling around the age of 12, riding with a group up in New Hampshire. We’d cover anywhere from 30 to 50 miles per weekend.
At 15, I founded a non-profit, Adaptive Sports Awareness with the goal of raising awareness for adaptive sports through education and example. My goal was to demonstrate that there are more similarities than differences in athletics, whether you’re disabled or not.
After founding this non profit organization I made the decision that I was going to ride my handcycle from Calais, ME to Key West, FL and stop at different organizations along the way to discuss and raise awareness for adaptive sports. I started training with Brendan and the Unified Health and Performance team in the winter of 2016 to prepare for the demands of the ride. On August 20th, 2017, I made it to the southernmost point in Key West. This accomplishment was easily the proudest moment of my life as I am the only handcyclist to ever record this bike ride from Calais, ME to Key West, FL totaling over 2,365 miles along this journey.
I went on to play wheelchair tennis at The University of Arizona. After graduating from college, I sought out an outlet to continue training and competing. I was invited to join my employer’s Pan Mass Challenge team. I joined Team Cambridge Savings Bank PMC team in 2023 and have successfully completed the ride for the past 2 years along with many of my co-workers in an attempt to raise funds to support the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.I am able to use my ability and love of sports to make a positive impact in finding a cure for cancer which is an incredible feeling to be apart of.
Athletics have had an incredible impact on my life. They’ve given me the opportunity to connect with supportive individuals that are actively trying to push me to achieve and succeed in anything that I pursue. I could not imagine my life without athletics and the people that I have met along the way.
Michael Palmer
I grew up just 1.5 miles from the starting point of the Boston Marathon. From a young age, I had had an insatiable desire to run. After the marathon began, I could often be seen running home, only to be corrected by people who pointed out that I was going the wrong way.
In 2019, I finally got his chance to run the Boston Marathon for the Doug Flutie Foundation for Autism. Ever since then, I have been hooked, completing a total of 10 marathons. Running has become a way for me to stay involved and to demonstrate to others that anyone can achieve their goals if they set their minds to it. I’m now pursuing interests and opportunities in race management.
Support Adaptive Athletes Breaking Barriers!
Your donation helps athletes like Owen, Zach, and Michael promote inclusion and achieve greatness in adaptive sports.
