Your 2025 ASPIRE Awards Nomination

Congratulations on being nominated for an ASPIRE Award! Before we begin, we're asking all of our nominees to confirm some of their important details. Please fill out the brief form below to get started. Thank you for your participation in the 2025 ASPIRE Awards!

The AdaptEDSports Programs in Recreation and Education (ASPIRE) Awards honor outstanding contributions to the advancement of adapted sports nationwide. Nominees—including student-athletes, coaches, volunteers, advocates, officials, and organizations—are recommended by peers and the community and selected by the ASPIRE Awards Committee of the American Association of Adapted Sports Programs, Inc.

Each year, nominees are recognized at a formal banquet celebrating their achievements and announcing the award recipients.  

The Seventh Annual ASPIRE Awards Celebration will take place on Sunday, October 26th at Maggiano’s Little Italy, 3368 Peachtree Road, Atlanta, Georgia. The event will be emceed by actor, writer and television personality Patrick Cusick, and will feature keynote remarks from special guest, Kyle Maynard, World Record-Holding Athlete, Author, Entrepreneur and Adventurer. During the ceremony, AAASP will honor these nominees and name the award recipients for 2025. 

Purchase Your ASPIRE Awards Tickets Here!

NOTE: FREE Admission for ALL 2024 ASPIRE Awards Nominees!
(1 event ticket per athlete)

Please review the ticket types shown below:

  • AAASP Member Ticket - $35.00 (For AAASP Member Schools, Families and ASPIRE Award Nominee guests)
  • AAASP Non-Member Ticket - $50.00 (For Professional, Corporate, Sponsors and all other guests)
  • Family of Four Ticket - $150 (A $50 savings before Sept. 21st)
  • Team Table Ticket - $350
  • Table Ticket- $500
Image

AAASP IS NOW ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS for THE 2024 ASPIRE Awards !

NOTE: Please Click here FOR MORE INFORMATION ON NEW 2024 ASPIRE Award Nomination Categories.

Each year, ASPIRE Award winners are chosen through a peer-nomination process.

An ASPIRE Award recognizes the significant contributions of individuals and organizations that have been central to the mission of making adapted sports programming available to children with physical disabilities.

Through these programs, student athletes with physical disabilities  reap the physical, social, emotional and academic benefits of competitive athletics resulting in personal and social empowerment.

The ASPIRE Award was established to recognize those who support and advocate on behalf of adapted sports. The award showcases those who stand as role models; individuals, companies and organizations that have taken a proactive and innovative path in support of competitive sports programs for student athletes with physical disabilities.

2024 ASPIRE Award Nominations - Award Categories

1. ADVOCACY AWARD
  • Individual or organization  - Presented to an individual who has demonstrated exceptional efforts toward the needs and rights of individuals with disabilities.
2. EDUCATION-BASED AWARD
  • School or School District Program - Presented to those groups who have demonstrated excellence and/or outstanding achievement in establishing, expanding or sustaining adapted sports programming in their school community.
3. COMMUNITY-BASED AWARD
  • Group, Team or Organization (Recreation Department, YMCA, Club program, or other)  - Presented to those groups who have demonstrated excellence and/or outstanding achievement in establishing, expanding or sustaining adapted sports programming in their community.
4. MEDIA AWARD
  • News Organization or Individual - Presented to an individual or news organization that provides conscientious coverage and visibility to AAASP’s sports leagues (should be active working media – Radio, TV, Newspaper, magazine, film writers, producers, online bloggers, anchors, etc.)
5. GAIL HENDRICKS VOLUNTEERISM AWARD
  • Individual - Presented to an individual or organization that has demonstrated exceptional efforts in support of AAASP’s sports league.
6. OUTSTANDING MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD
  • Individual - Presented to a male athlete that has demonstrated exceptional efforts and leadership qualities in the AAASP’s sports league.
7. OUTSTANDING FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD
  • Individual - Presented to a female athlete that has demonstrated exceptional efforts and leadership qualities in the AAASP’s sports league.
8. HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR ATHLETE AWARD
  • Individual - Presented to a Senior in High School that has demonstrated exceptional efforts and leadership qualities in the AAASP’s sports league.
9. COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD
  • Individual
10. LESLIE SWEATMAN OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR AWARD
  • Individual
11. OUTSTANDING COACH - JR. VARSITY
  • Individual - This award, voted on by the committee, will be given to an outstanding AAASP coach, coaching at the Junior Varsity level
12. OUTSTANDING SCHOLAR (MALE)
  • Individual - The outstanding scholar male athlete will be recognized at this year's event, for not only their participation and excellence on the court, but their excellence in the classroom as well.  Rigor of schedule, and grades, as well as recommendation will all be considered in selection of this year's recipient.  All athletes MUST apply to be considered, and should submit last semester's grades for consideration.
13. OUTSTANDING SCHOLAR (FEMALE)
  • Individual - The outstanding scholar female athlete will be recognized at this year's event, for not only their participation and excellence on the court, but their excellence in the classroom as well.  Rigor of schedule, and grades, as well as recommendation will all be considered in selection of this year's recipient.  All athetes MUST apply to be considered, and should submit last semester's grades for consideration.
14. OUTSTANDING MALE ATHLETE (POWER CHAIR)
  • Individual - Open only to power chair male athletes  
15. OUTSTANDING FEMALE ATHLETE (POWER CHAIR)
  • Individual - Open only to power chair female athletes
16. MOST IMPROVED ATHLETE
  • Individual - The most improved athlete award, new this year, will be selected from the pool of candidates, and the recommendations from their coaches - demonstrating why they are the most improved.
17. LEAGUE MVP - VARSITY
  • Individual - Voted by other teams,  this athlete will be recognized for their excellence in play, in leading the team, and their sportsmanship playing at the Varsity level. 
18. LEAGUE MVP - JR. VARSITY
  • Individual - Voted by other teams,  this athlete will be recognized for their excellence in play, in leading the team, and their sportsmanship playing at the Junior Varsity level.  
19. AAASP ALL-STAR / ALL TOURNAMENT TEAMS
  • Individuals - Voted by other teams,  these athletes will be selected and recognized for their excellence in play, in leading the team, and their sportsmanship playing in three regular seasons of play - Wheelchair Handball, Wheelchair Basketball, and Wheelchair Football.