SportsAbility 2024: Lots of People, Lots of Fun!

SportsAbility 2024 was a wonderful success! More than 1,000 people attended the 2-day event which kicked off on Friday with indoor activities, performances, and an informational expo. Students from area schools attended and enjoyed sit volleyball, tennis, fishing, archery, beanbag toss, fitness equipment, and a number of other activities. Approximately 25 exhibitors and activity providers from state and local agencies, non-profits, service providers, and community advocates provided information and demonstrations.

We also had some great live entertainment! Performances by the Pyramid Studio Dancers, and Hart and Soul--a band from Gretchen Everhart School added to the fun and excitement. We were honored to welcome Representative Allison Tant as our keynote speaker. Representative Tant has been a strong advocate for individuals of all abilities.

SportsAbility Alliance also presented two awards at the Expo. The Volunteer of the Year Award, given to a person who has been an invaluable volunteer to SportsAbility Alliance, giving of their time and talents, was presented to John McBride for his work in organizing the Hands Helping Anglers event which the SportsAbility Alliance and local Rotary Clubs partner to hold for anglers with disabilities. The Active Leisure for Life Award, given to an individual or organization that embodies the SportsAbility Alliance mission: “to enrich lives through accessible, inclusive recreation and active leisure,” was presented to the Florida State Parks Foundation for their commitment to accessibility and inclusion and their funding of projects in Florida state parks to remove barriers and create enhancements that benefit all visitors.

On Saturday, we gathered at Maclay Gardens State Park for outdoor fun! Although it was warm, it was a beautiful day for all the participants, volunteers, activity providers, family, friends, and caregivers who attended. Attendees could take part in an array of outdoor activities including sit-ski, boat rides, a climbing wall, EcoRover trail adventures, horseback riding, accessible bikes, nature tours, and lawn games. A live band provided entertainment throughout the day. There was something for everyone regardless of individual interests, age, and abilities. A BIG THANK YOU to all our sponsors, activity providers, volunteers, and community partners.  We could not have done this without you!

Family Cafe – June 14-16, 2024

The SportsAbility Alliance participated with our partners once again at the Family Café conference June 14-16, 2024 in Orlando, Florida.

The SportsAbility Sampler at the Family Café included hands-on activities such as tennis, SCUBA, archery and target games, as well as a virtual fitness workout with Spirit Club. Resource providers provided information on adaptive water-skiing, EcoRovers, Florida State Parks Foundation and more! In addition to the samplers and resources, GatorLand held the ever-popular live animal demonstrations and had alligators and snakes for attendees to touch and hold. We presented a session at Family Café on “New Technologies and the Opportunities Provided for Recreation for People of ALL Abilities.” And, as usual we wrapped up our fun at Family Café with the SportsAbility Duck Race! Thank you to everyone who purchased ducks and supplied prizes in support of our programs.

Stay well friends!

Fran Gilbert
Executive Director, SportsAbility Alliance

As you know, the mission of SportsAbility Alliance is to enhance the lives of people of all ages and abilities through accessible inclusive recreation. One of the programs that supports that mission is our ALLOUT Adventure program. The purpose of our EcoRover ALLOUT Adventure program is to advocate, educate, motivate, provide, and support access to and opportunities for hunting and shooting sports.This long running project has been a perfect collaboration with the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida grant since we share the goal of promoting outdoor recreation with the emphasis on hunting and shooting sports. 

One of the largest segments of the population that are underserved in hunting opportunities are people with disabilities that have mobility limitations. This is being addressed with our ALLOUT EcoRover project. The acquisition of multiple EcoRover all-terrain mobility devices has enabled us to expand our outreach to participants in the FWC Mobility Impaired hunt programs. The FWFF grant also enabled the creation of an online reservation system for permit holders to secure a unit for their hunts at several WMAs in northern Florida. This aligns with our recruit, retain, and reactivate hunters (R3) initiative, aiming to counter the declining support for hunting and highlighting the health benefits of outdoor recreation, especially for people with disabilities.

Most recent surveys show an alarming decrease in supporting attitudes for hunting. Research proves that hunters experience the health benefits of outdoor recreation and that people with disabilities may even benefit more. We are working to change attitudes about hunting with our increase of outreach to populations that may not currently be hunters. We create impressions on people from all demographics and areas of recreation and leisure interests. We have utilized a strategy of putting a focus on outdoor recreation enthusiasts. Research and experience tell us that people that enjoy nature and outdoor activities usually participate in many different nature and recreation activities that may or may not currently include hunting and shooting sports. The EcoRover program serves as an introduction and opportunity to try out or return to enjoyable hunting and shooting sports. 

Mobility impairments affect about 15% of our total US population and 40% of all people with disabilities nationwide. Our Baby Boomer population is soaring and over 40% of people aged 65 and over self-report having mobility limitations. These older people are many times more likely to be hunters or past hunters than today’s younger generations. We will continue to support hunting and shooting sports by our efforts to remove barriers and embracing the inclusion of people with disabilities in outdoor recreation and nature-based activities. It is clear that we are making great progress toward the R3 initiative and helping to change attitudes about hunting!

We believe that our outreach efforts allow us to engage people in settings outside of the typical hunting situations. We have had a very significant impact on attitudes and support for the inclusion philosophy. We plan to continue and expand our outreach efforts with opportunities to reach different segments of the population in diverse venues and events. 

As a direct result of our FFWF project, we assisted the Florida State Park Foundation in securing funding to purchase EcoRovers, now available at Topsail and Grayton Beaches, enhancing access to nature-based recreation. We provide training on their use and help develop sustainable service guidelines. We are also helping them to develop guidelines and to experiment with ways to provide the best sustainable service to their visitors with disabilities, families and friends. We plan to expand our outreach efforts, and are currently offering year-round programs like the ALLOUT EcoRover adventure at Wakulla Springs State Park for veterans. This initiative demonstrates our commitment to inclusive outdoor recreation and the ongoing pursuit of our goals.

ACTIVE LEISURE for LIFE! 

David Jones
Founder, SportsAbility Alliance

The Florida State Parks Foundation, the 2024 SportsAbility for Life Award recipient, collaborated with Duke Energy Florida, and the Friends of Wakulla Springs State Park, create a state-of-the-art accessible playground at Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park near Tallahassee.

According to the FSPF, the “new playground, located a short distance from the park’s beachfront along the Wakulla River, includes several accessible play elements and a wide path to accommodate mobility devices. The playground’s centerpiece is a large glider styled in the fashion of the park’s iconic river tour boats.” The playground is open during regular operating hours and access is included with park
admission.