World Record-Holding Athlete Kyle Maynard Inspires Guests with Keynote Speech at the ASPIRE Awards Event
The American Association of Adapted Sports Programs, Inc. (AAASP) proudly celebrated the Seventh Annual ASPIRE Awards on Sunday evening at Maggiano’s Little Italy in Atlanta, honoring 29 exceptional individuals and organizations who are making a difference in the world of AdaptED Sports.
This year’s awards recognized excellence across 23 categories—each spotlighting those who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to creating opportunities for student athletes with disabilities, as well as excellence in athletics and academics by the adapted athletes themselves. The ASPIRE Awards, which stand for Adapted Sports Programs in Recreation and Education, were established to celebrate the people and programs whose work embodies AAASP’s mission to expand access to adapted sports nationwide.
The evening was emceed by actor, writer, and television personality Patrick Cusick, who guided the audience through an inspiring program of stories, recognition, and celebration. Guests were especially moved by keynote speaker Kyle Maynard—world record-holding athlete, author, entrepreneur, and adventurer—whose remarkable story of perseverance and self-belief amazed the audience.
A particularly memorable moment came with the announcement that the Spirit of AAASP Award will now be renamed the Dr. Swearngin Spirit of AAASP Award, honoring Dr. Ralph Swearngin, former Executive Director of the Georgia High School Association and a longtime champion of AAASP’s mission. The renaming pays tribute to his decades of leadership and dedication to ensuring that all students have the opportunity to experience the benefits of athletic participation.
“This year’s celebration was a powerful reminder of what determination, and teamwork truly mean,” said Dr. Jenny Millward, AAASP Executive Director. “Our student-athletes continue to redefine what is possible—on and off the field—through their talent, perseverance, and sportsmanship. We are equally grateful to the coaches, families, volunteers, and schools who make adapted athletics thrive.”
AAASP extends its heartfelt thanks to the 2025 ASPIRE Awards Strategic Partners and Sponsors for their continued support: the Georgia Department of Education, the State of Georgia Appropriations Committee, the Georgia High School Association (GHSA), the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), Northside Hospital, Eagle Sportschairs, Stout Creative, Varsity Brands, and the AAASP Board of Directors.
Please see the list below of this year’s recipients — congratulations to all!
- Ben Vondrak, Adapted Track & Field, the Wesleyan School, Gwinnett County
- Larry Osborne, Coach of the Year JV, Houston County School District
- Len Boudreaux, Coach of the Year Varsity, Gwinnett County Public Schools
- Auburn University Adapted Sports Program, Community-Based Program Award, Auburn, AL
- National Federation of State High Schools (NFHS), Community-Based Program Award, Indianapolis, IN
- Clayton Eagles, Education-Based Program Award, Clayton County Public Schools
- Dr. Lionel Brown, Eli Wolff Advocacy Award, Peach County Schools
- Mark Christmas, Eli Wolff Advocacy Award, Clayton County Public Schools
- Marcia Edwards, Gail Hendrick Champion of Support Award, Atlanta Public Schools
- Vincent Hamlin, Gail Hendrick Champion of Support Award, Peach County Schools
- Jacee Hand, Heart and Hustle Award, Georgia Storm, Georgia Connections Academy, Henry County
- Bailey McCartney, High School Senior Athlete Award, West Georgia Wolverines, Troup County School System
- Sherry Richards, Leslie Sweatman Official of The Year Award, Macon, GA
- Luke Hetrick, Media “Hero” Award, WSB Channel 2, Atlanta, GA
- Elam Tyson, Most Improved Athlete Award-JV, Classic City Dawgs, Clarke County School District
- Daniel Apuango, Most Improved Athlete Award-Varsity, Gwinnett Heat, Gwinnett County Public Schools
- Kila-Ray Brown, Most Valuable Player Award, Clayton Eagles, Clayton County Public Schools
- Jeremiah Hopson, Most Valuable Player Award, Gwinnett Heat, Gwinnett County Public Schools
- Joshua Biyoyouwei, Power Chair Athlete of the Year, Gwinnett Heat, Gwinnett County Public Schools
- Elam Tyson, Scholar Athlete of the Year – JV, Classic City Dawgs, Clarke County School District
- Anthony Cuti, Scholar Athlete of the Year – Varsity, Houston County Sharks, Houston County School District
- Ashlyn Stevens, Scholar Athlete of the Year – Varsity, Houston County Sharks, Houston County School District
- Najee Smothers, Dr. Swearngin Spirit of AAASP Award, DeKalb Silver Streaks, DeKalb County School District
- Antoine L. Craig, Vaughn-Storms Founders Award, Blind Soccer Nation, Virginia State University
- Jeremiah Rhodes, Wheelchair Basketball Athlete of the YearJV, Peach County Rolling Trojans, Peach County Schools
- Anthony Cuti, Wheelchair Basketball Athlete of the YearVarsity, Houston County Sharks, Houston County School District
- Caleb Merriken, Wheelchair Football Athlete of the Year-JV, Muscogee Lions, Muscogee County School District
- Dalton Crosby, Wheelchair Football Athlete of the Year-Varsity, Houston County Sharks, Houston County School District
- Ruby Stachowski, Wheelchair Handball Athlete of The Year Award, Houston County Sharks, Houston County School District
Another highlight of the evening was the formal renaming of the Spirit of AAASP Award in honor of Dr. Ralph Swearngin, former Executive Director of the Georgia High School Association and a long-time advocate for adapted sports in Georgia. Going forward, this distinguished recognition will be known as the Dr. Swearngin Spirit of AAASP Award, commemorating his enduring leadership and commitment to supporting adapted athletic opportunities for all students with qualifying disabilities.
“This year’s celebration was a powerful reminder of what determination, and teamwork truly mean,” said Dr. Jenny Millward, AAASP Executive Director. “Our student-athletes continue to redefine what is possible—on and off the field—through their talent, perseverance, and sportsmanship. We are equally grateful to the coaches, families, volunteers, and schools who make adapted athletics thrive.”
AAASP extends heartfelt gratitude to the 2025 ASPIRE Awards Strategic Partners and Sponsors for their unwavering support: the Georgia Department of Education, the State of Georgia Appropriations Committee, the Georgia High School Association (GHSA), the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), Northside Hospital, Eagle Sportschairs, Stout Creative, Varsity Brands, and the AAASP Board of Directors.
The American Association of Adapted Sports Programs (AAASP), headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, will celebrate its 30th year as a 501c3 organization that provides the infrastructure for adapted athletics to Local Educational Agencies, State High School Associations and State Departments of Education. AAASP offers the pathway for education-based adapted athletics for students with qualifying disabilities in grades 1-12. The AAASP model has been in place since 1996, and ensures students with disabilities the opportunity to experience the benefits of education-based sport competition, just as their non-disabled peers. For more information, please visit our website at http://adaptedsports.org or join our conversations on X at: @AdaptedSports.
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Contacts:
Atlanta: Terri Grunduski, Adapted Sports – tgrunduski@adaptedsports.org 404-226-7497