Atlanta, September 9, 2024– The American Association of AdaptED Sports Programs, Inc. (AAASP) is proud to announce 66 unique nominations (people and organizations) across the world in 23 different categories for consideration for their outstanding contributions supporting student athletes with physical disabilities to get “off the sidelines and into the game.” The Sixth Annual ASPIRE Awards Celebration, emceed by actor, writer and television personality Patrick Cusick with special guest speaker, Matt Stutzman (Gold Medalist, Para Archery, 2024 Paralympic Games) will be held Sunday, October 27th at Maggiano’s Little Italy, 3368 Peachtree Road, Atlanta, Georgia. The AdaptEDSports Programs in Recreation and Education (ASPIRE) Awards recognize the significant contributions of 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. A record 87 submissions were received this year!
Athlete of the Year Award Nominees:
- Adela Alejo (Clarke County School District)
- Kila-Ray Brown (Clayton County Public Schools)
- Adolfo Gonzalez (Houston County School District)
- Paul Hart (Muscogee County School District)
- Jace Harter (Peach County School District)
- Jaedin Lowe (Clayton County Public Schools)
- McCarty McGraw (Muscogee County School District)
- Caleb Merriken (Muscogee County School District)
- Gavin Pijnenburg (Troup County Schools)
- Madison Ryan (Houston County School District)
- Najee Smothers (DeKalb County Schools)
Coach of the Year Award Nominees:
- John Bolles (Muscogee County School District)
- Jeremy Downing (Houston County School District)
- Dr. NicholasGriffin (Troup County School System
- Kristen Harter (Peach County School District)
- Julius Hooper (Clarke County School District)
- Walter Johnson (Peach County School District)
- Harlon Matthews (Griffin RESA / Henry County School / Henry County Parks & Recreation)
- Jaqueline Randall (Houston County School District)
- Kelly Richburg (Muscogee County School District)
- Stephen Roberson (Houston County School District)
- Jacob Roche (Troup County Schools)
- Lynnette Swanson (Gwinnett County Public Schools)
- Sebastian Tillman (Clayton County Public Schools)
- Wellington deLuna Vazquez (Georgia State University, Georgia Blind Sports Association)
- Bryan Watts (Houston County School District)
Community-Based Award Nominees:
- Henry Viscardi School at The Viscardi Center (Henry Viscardi School at The Viscardi Center )
- Therapeutic Recreation Department (Henry County Parks & Recreation)
Education-Based Award Nominees:
- Clarke County School District (Clarke County School District)
- Henry County Schools (Henry County Schools
- Peach County School District (Peach County School District)
- Troup County School System (Troup County School System)
Eli Wolff Advocacy Award Nominees:
- Dr. Tracy Butler (Atlanta Public Schools)
- Dr. Nicholas Griffin (Troup County School System)
- Dr. Robbie Hooker (Clarke County School District)
- Kelli Hutcheson (Henry County Schools)
- Bobby Ryals (Houston County School District)
- Debbie Skipworth (Muscogee County School District)
Founder’s Award Nominees:
- Barry Ewing (Eagle Sports Chairs)
- Minnesota State High School League (Minnesota State High School League)
- Kyoya Itoga (Wheelchair Football Japan)
- Terri Lakowski (Active Policy Solutions)
Gail Hendrick Volunteerism Award Nominees:
- Samuel Gonzalez (Clayton County Public Schools)
- Rosa Hamlin (Peach County School District)
- Erica Rogers (Clayton County Public Schools)
- Wellington deLuna Vazquez (Georgia State University, Georgia Blind Sports Association)
- Logan Wegienka (Troup County Schools)
High School Senior Athlete Award Nominees:
- McCarty McGraw (Muscogee County School District)
- Edward Rhone (Clayton County Public Schools)
- JaQuavious West (Houston County School District)
Leslie Sweatman Official of the Year Award Nominees:
- Steven Lewis (Official)
Media Award Nominees:
- Kevin Eckleberry (BeeTV Sports)
- Jon Nelson (GPB Sports)
- Tori Newman (University of Georgia)
- Jay Phillips (The Champion – DeKalb)
- Ethan Strang (LaGrange Daily News)
Most Improved Athlete Award Nominees:
- Sannitra Colbert (Peach County School District)
- Hunter Culverson (Muscogee County School District)
- Andrew Dotson (Clayton County Public Schools)
- Laniya Jones (Clayton County Public Schools)
- Cole Maples (Peach County School District)
- Mickelson McGraw (Muscogee County School District)
- Ashlyn Stevens (Houston County School District)
- Jace Toliver (Peach County Schools)
- Gabriel Williams (Troup County Schools)
- Naomie Wilson (Houston County School District)
Scholar Athlete of the Year Award Nominees:
- Elianna Stevens (Houston County Schools)
- Caleb Watters (Peach County School District)
- Caleb Merriken (Muscogee County School District)
AAASP will honor (32) special people and organizations as recipients of the awards, four of whom will receive the prestigious American Association of AdaptED Sports Programs’ Founders Award for their role in trailblazing adapted sports, as well as a new award, Team Spirit Award, to be announced at the event in October.
“These awards are the highlight of my year,” said Tommie Storms, Co-Founder and Executive Director, AAASP. The stories of these families and those who are honored to serve them is a treasured exercise in what the very best of us and within us looks like. I am inspired and humbled all over again – every year.”
Thank you to the following 2024 AAASP ASPIRE Awards Sponsors: the Georgia Department of Education, the Georgia High School Association, Stout Creative and the AAASP Board of Directors.
Plan to join us for the event at Maggiano’s Little Italy – at 5:30 pm – to celebrate the nominees and winners with us! Tickets are only $35 for AAASP members/$50 for non-members, and includes an amazing, family-style dinner at the event! Learn more at: https://www.facebook.com/AdaptedSports and RSVP for the event at: https://adaptedsports.org/aaasp-aspire-awards/.
Click here to download this press release as a .pdf
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 https://adaptedsports.org or join our conversations on Twitter at: @AdaptedSports.
