Veteran’s Post — Adaptive Sports Programs

In a repeat of last year, the VA is set to give $16 million in grants to 91 groups around the country that host the annual adaptive sports program.

What has gone up is the number of veterans who will be able to participate. This year the VA has enrolled an additional 290,000 veterans in healthcare.

The adaptive sports program, as well as the therapeutic arts program, is run by community, regional and national grant recipients to provide opportunities for disabled veterans to participate.

If you're interested in competing or training in these events, whether you want to aim for skiing, the wheelchair games, golf, the Golden Age games or the arts, there is a place for you.

If you want to become a Paralympic athlete, there's even a training allowance, a monthly stipend for those who are selected to compete with the national Olympic team.

For the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, the adaptive ski program, see wintersportsclinic.org. Veterans with spinal cord injuries, visual impairment, traumatic brain injury and more are eligible. The clinic runs from March 27 to April 3 next year. Click "Participate" to see how to register and to review the participant requirements.

The Golden Age Games, for veterans age 55 and above, includes 20 medaled sports events broken into eight age categories. Whether you're into archery, track and field, bowling, horseshoes or any of the 19 sports, there is room for you. Competitions will be held June 23 to June 29, 2027.

The National Veterans Creative Arts Festival submission window will be Feb. 1 - March 15, 2027, and covers a wide range of artistic endeavors, from creative writing to dance to music to art, and more. See department.va.gov/veteran-sports/national-veterans-creative-arts-festival for more information.

Keep an eye on department.va.gov/veteran-sports for information on all the categories and events, and especially the registration dates.

As always, volunteers are needed. These events can't take place without the hundreds of volunteers who step up to ensure that disabled veterans have the opportunities to participate.

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