The Hartford and Wheelchair Tennis Athlete, Dana Mathewson to surprise local athletes with custom-fit adaptive sports equipment

CHICAGO, IL, USA, May 3, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- Hundreds of athletes with disabilities are experiencing the power of sport and realizing their true potential by competing at the 2023 GLASA Great Lakes Games in partnership with The Hartford, taking place in multiple locations in Lake Forest starting May 10 through 13 and continuing in Milwaukee on May 14.

With the organization in its 24th year serving the Chicagoland community, the 2023 Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association (GLASA) event will include sanctioned competitions in archery, air rifle, boccia, powerlifting, swim, track and field in addition to opportunities for those new to adaptive sports to learn to play through free clinics offered in swim, powerlifting, wheelchair tennis, wheelchair football and more.

The GLASA wheelchair tennis program will host a learn to play and competitive clinic with athletes of all ages and all skill levels as part of the Games. The clinic will engage beginner GLASA athletes as young as age six as well as elite athletes that have competed at the highest level of the sport in international competition including GLASA player-coach and five-time Paralympian, Paul Moran alongside Team Hartford athlete, Dana Mathewson. Dana is a two-time Paralympian for Team USA, Para Pan American Medalist and 2022 Wimbledon Doubles Champion.

The Hartford, along with Dana Mathewson, will surprise local athletes with custom-fit adaptive sports equipment on Saturday, May 13 at Lake Forest High School at noon during a luncheon and meet/greet opportunity for athletes to meet and be inspired by Mathewson. The cost of adaptive sports equipment is approximately fifteen times more expensive than traditional sports equipment.

“Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association is proud to serve 1,000 athletes through our 20 adaptive and Paralympic sports, which would not be possible without the support of our partners like The Hartford” said Cindy Housner, GLASA Founder & Executive Director. “Equipment can be $5,000 or more for each athlete participating in our adaptive sports like track, wheelchair tennis and more. GLASA provides every piece of equipment plus training and resources for our athletes to be successful thanks to organizations like The Hartford that have been long-time champions of athletes with disabilities.”

The 2023 GLASA Great Lakes Games in partnership with The Hartford is part of The Hartford’s Adaptive Sports Competition Series. The series features five premier competitive events across the country and includes surprise custom equipment donations, the Human Achievement award and meet and greets with champion para-athletes. The GLASA Games and other events in the series are sanctioned by Move United and applicable National Governing Bodies, and often serve as a pipeline to elite competition at the national and international level. The 2023 GLASA Great Lakes Games in partnership with The Hartford, serves as a qualifier for The Hartford Nationals scheduled for July 8-14, 2023, in Birmingham, Alabama.

“We are on a mission to increase participation in adaptive sports by making competitions, local events and equipment more accessible to youth and adult athletes,” said The Hartford’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Claire Burns. “We are incredibly proud to partner with Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association and Move United to help remove barriers that may prevent athlete participation and create more opportunities for thousands of adaptive athletes to experience the life-changing power of sports.”

Shuan Butcher
Move United
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