American Association of Adapted Sports Programs (AAASP) Announces Recipients of the 2021 ASPIRE Awards Via Virtual Celebration
Local Atlanta Veteran Sportscaster Sam Crenshaw Emceed the Virtual Event Recognizing Recipients
Atlanta, October 24, 2021– The American Association of Adapted Sports Programs, Inc. (AAASP) recognized 20 key people and organizations tonight with an ASPIRE Award for their outstanding contributions to support student athletes with physical disabilities to get “off the sidelines and into the game.” The Adapted Sports Programs in Recreation and Education (ASPIRE) Awards, emceed by local Atlanta veteran sports anchor Sam Crenshaw (GPB, 92.9 the Game, Atlanta City TV, voice of Georgia State Basketball on ESPN3), recognize the significant contributions of these individuals and organizations that have been central to the mission of making adapted sports programming available nationwide. Through these programs, student athletes with physical disabilities across the country reap the physical, social, emotional, and academic benefits of competitive athletics resulting in personal and social empowerment. The Third Annual ASPIRE Awards Celebration was held tonight on Adapted Sports’ Facebook page in response to the ongoing COVID pandemic. Here is the link to view the awards ceremony: 2021 ASPIRE Awards - Hosted by AAASP
Congratulations to the 2021 AAASP ASPIRE Award recipients:
Dr. Jenny Millward, Advocacy Award/Houston County Sharks
Monica White, Advocacy Award/DeKalb Silver Streaks
Will Hammock, Media "Hero" Award/Gwinnet Daily Post
Jimmy Roberts, Coach of The Year Award/Atlanta Wolfpack
Gliding Stars, Community-Based Program Award/University at Buffalo
Rene Langlois, Gail Hendrick Volunteerism Award/Houston County Sharks
Kendrick Newton, High School Senior Athlete Award/Henry County Hurricanes
Mason McCartney, High School Senior Athlete Award/West Georgia Wolverines
Willie Long, Leslie Sweatman Official of The Year Award
Abby Simmons, Outstanding Female Athlete of The Year Award/West Georgia Wolverines
Kathy Luna, Outstanding Female Athlete of The Year Award/Gwinnett Heat
Juan Nava, Outstanding Male Athlete of The Year Award/Clayton County Eagles
Seth Earley, Outstanding Male Athlete of The Year Award/Gwinnett Heat
Gwinnett HEAT, School-Based Program Award
Ron Lykins, Founder’s Award/University of Missouri
Jan Seaman, Founder’s Award/Retired AAPAR and AAALF Director
Jan Lauten, Founder’s Award/Retired Decatur YMCA Executive Dir.
Onie Lawson, Founder’s Award/Retired APS Teacher
Terri Grunduski, Founder’s Award/Grunduski Group
Bev Vaughn, Lifetime Achievement Award/AAASP
Thank you to the following 2021 AAASP ASPIRE Awards Sponsors: the Georgia Department of Education, FlagHouse, the Georgia High School Association, MLT Creative and the AAASP Board of Directors.
The American Association of Adapted Sports Programs (AAASP), headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is a not-for-profit association dedicated to developing interscholastic adapted sports programs in partnership with national, state, and local educational agencies. It represents a standardized approach to extracurricular adapted team sports and has developed one of the nation's most comprehensive school-based athletic programs for students with physical disabilities attending elementary, middle, and high school. For more information, please visit our website at http://adaptedsports.org or join our conversations on Twitter at: @AdaptedSports.
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Contacts:
Atlanta: Terri Grunduski, Grunduski Group – terri@grunduskigroup.com 404-226-7497
Donna Feazell, Grunduski Group – donna@grunduskigroup.com 404-290-1929
