Atlanta, GA (April 2, 2025) – Nominations are now open for the Seventh Annual ASPIRE Awards, hosted by the American Association of Adapted Sports Programs, Inc. (AAASP). This awards celebration, emceed by actor, writer, and television personality Patrick Cusick will take place on Sunday, October 26, 2025 at Maggiano’s Little Italy, in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Adapted Sports Programs in Recreation and Education (ASPIRE) Awards recognize individuals and organizations making a profound impact on adapted sports, helping student athletes with physical disabilities experience the physical, social, emotional, and academic benefits of competitive athletics.
The 2025 ASPIRE Awards are now open, nominate your hero today in one of the following categories:
2025 ASPIRE AWARD CATEGORIES (ADULTS):
- Coach of the Year Award (Varsity and JV)
- Programs of the Year Awards
- Community-Based Award (non-AAASP organizations)
- Education-Based Award (AdaptED Sports League Districts and Teams Only)
- Eli Wolff Advocacy Award
- Gail Hendrick Champion of Support Award
- Leslie Sweatman Official of the Year Award
- Media Hero Award
- Vaughn-Storms Founder’s Award
2025 ASPIRE AWARD CATEGORIES (STUDENTS):
- Athlete of the Year Award (Varsity and JV)
- Wheelchair Basketball Athlete of the Year Award (Varsity Male and Female, and Junior Varsity Male or Female)
- Wheelchair Handball Athlete of the Year Award (Varsity Male and Female; and Junior Varsity Male or Female)
- Wheelchair Football Athletes of the Year Award (Varsity Male and Female; and Junior Varsity Male or Female)
- Powerchair Athlete of the Year Award (Varsity and JV – implemented only in years with minimum of 3 or more Powerchair users)
- High School Senior Athlete Award (Senior Male and Senior Female)
- Most Improved Athlete Award (Varsity and JV)
- Scholar Athlete of the Year Award (Varsity only)
- The Spirit of AAASP Sportsmanship Award
Nominate someone today! Visit 2025 AAASP ASPIRE Awards – American Association of Adapted Sports Programs® for details. Ticket information will be available this summer.
A special thank you to our AAASP ASPIRE Awards Sponsors for helping us shine the light on those making strides in adapted sports: the Georgia Department of Education, the State of Georgia, the National Federation of High Schools (NFHS), the Georgia High School Association, Eagle Sportschairs, History Associates, StoryDrive.com, Good Media Ideas, Disability Connections, Stout Creative, The
Ink Spot, 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 https://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