BlazeSports America Celebrates Decades of Service and Advancement in Adaptive Sports During Paris Paralympic Games

Nonprofit Inspired by Atlanta Paralympic Games Celebrates 28 Years, Ahead of Paralympic Games Returning to U.S. in 2028

BlazeSports America, a nonprofit organization founded as the legacy of the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games and a leader in the field of adaptive sports and recreation, commemorates its 28^th anniversary during the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. The organization, which began with one wheelchair basketball program, now offers over 15 different adaptive programs to youth and veterans and has served over 12,000 adaptive athletes.

This year’s anniversary brings notable excitement to BlazeSports athletes and the adaptive sports community as they both celebrate the Paris Games and look toward the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, which marks the first time the games will be in the U.S. since the 1996 Atlanta Games.

“We are incredibly proud to celebrate our anniversary as we cheer on the impressive athletes on Team USA, including BlazeSports alumni on the Women’s Wheelchair Basketball team, in the Paris Paralympic Games,” states Dawn Churi, Executive Director of BlazeSports. “Since our founding as part of the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games, we have continued our mission of expanding the world of adaptive sports and making it more accessible to children and young adults. This year’s Paralympics are an incredible example of the growth in adaptive sports over the past 28 years and we are looking forward to the United States hosting the games again in 2028 in Los Angeles.”

BlazeSports serves athletes with physical challenges across three segments – Youth, Adult and Veterans. These programs provide athletes the opportunity to compete alongside each other and increase their independence and success. Blaze offers programs such as wheelchair basketball, archery, track and field, tennis, swimming, and more. In addition to their weekly programs, BlazeSports hosts an annual Peachtree ParaGames, a multi-day, multi-sport event that provides even further competitive opportunities for adaptive athletes.

BlazeSports alumna, Bailey Moody, will be competing in the Paris Paralympic Games this summer. Moody, who joined the BlazeSports Jr. Hawks Wheelchair Basketball team in 2014 and won the bronze in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, will be representing Team USA’s Women’s Wheelchair Basketball team.

In honor of the anniversary, BlazeSports also announced their Blaze for Gold Campaign, which aims to raise $100,000 between the Paralympic Opening Ceremony on August 28^th through December 1^st. These funds will go towards Blaze’s annual fund to provide adaptive sports programs for both youth and veteran athletes and expand the world of adaptive sports. For more information about BlazeSports’ programs or how to get involved in the organization, please visit www.blazesports.org.

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About BlazeSports America

BlazeSports America is the direct legacy 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization of the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games serving children, youth, and Veterans with disabilities through programs, training and education initiatives. Based in Atlanta and a two-time winner of the US Olympic Committee’s Rings of Gold for impactful programs, BlazeSports is a member of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee - Multi-Sport Organizational Council, and the USA Member Organization of the Cerebral Palsy International Sport and Recreation Association (CPISRA). BlazeSports will celebrate their 30^th anniversary in 2026. For more information visit www.blazesports.org and follow us on Facebook/X blazesports, Instagram: @blazesportsamerica.

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