Sports

The adaptive sports played at the festival include basketball, wheelchair rugby, pickleball, beep baseball, tennis, hand cycling and archery.

The festival introduces adaptive sports, provides learning opportunities, and showcases individuals with disabilites in a way that the general public does not often see.

Adaptive Sports Festival thrives on learning experiences

By Christopher Floch Pasadena Weekly Contributing Writer

The third annual Pasadena Adaptive Sports Festival will see athletes coming together to compete in 10 recreational activities on Saturday, Nov. 20, at Brookside Park. “Events like this give people with disabilities a chance to push the limits of their ability, play games with friends and family on a level playing ground, and enhances their quality of life through the benefit of exercise, sports and fitness,” he said.

“I enjoy seeing the entire community brought together through sports and outdoor activities,” said Ali Everett, Pasadena’s accessibility coordinator.

The adaptive sports include hand cycling, wheelchair rugby, pickleball, beep baseball, tennis, basketball and archery. Additionally, the event will feature a creative art class and resource fair.

The event is sponsored by the city of Pasadena and the Triumph Foundation, a nonprofit that works to improve the lives of people living with disabilities.

Everett was complimentary of the Triumph Foundation.

“We couldn’t put this on without them,” she said.

Open to the public with no admission fee, the Adaptive Sports Festival introduces adaptive sports, provides learning opportunities, and showcases individuals with disabilities in a way that the general public does not often see.

“In 2019, the event attracted close to 1,000 participants and really made an impact on everyone who attended,” said Andrew Skinner, the Triumph Foundation founder.

“Pasadena offers tremendous resources for the disabled community. Everyone from the mayor on down has been supportive of this event.”

Skinner sustained a spinal cord injury in November 2004 in a snowboarding accident and started the nonprofit four years later. He is most looking forward to wheelchair rugby, which he called the most popular sport of the day. Everett said Cy Estabrook, a member of the Pasadena Disability and Accessibility Commission, encouraged the city and facilitated the relationship between Pasadena and the Triumph Organization. “The community loves it,” said Estabrook, who sustained a spinal cord injury from a slip and fall accident that left him paralyzed in 2016. “After my injury five years ago, I thought I would never be an athlete again. But, through Triumph Foundation’s adaptive recreation program, I have continued my passion for tennis, baseball, cycling and even learned to play rugby. I love having a Triumph athletic event in my hometown of Pasadena.” Triumph is seeking community partners and volunteers to help with the event. For more information, email info@triumphfoundation.org.

Adaptive Sports Festival

WHEN: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20 WHERE: Brookside Park, 360 N. Arroyo Boulevard, Pasadena COST: Free admission INFO: triumph-foundation.org