Do you think a wheelchair sports league could ever gain mainstream press coverage and attract advertiser dollars to help it grow? If so, what sport do you think would be the most popular and how do you think it would do? 

I'm asking because I believe there are talented individuals playing adapted sports who aren't getting the recognition they deserve. If a major advertiser or media company were to support more wheelchair sports leagues, it would help in many ways. It would increase the popularity of a wide range of great sports, introduce these sports to the public, and open doors to new competitors who might not have tried them before. 

By offering the incentive of playing a professional sport, it could also drive the competitive spirit, improving the overall well-being of individuals. There are several organizations dedicated to advancing youth sports across the country, such as the American Association of Adapted Sports, and others like it dedicated to various sports. 

However, there are no professional sports leagues in the US for people with disabilities; you have to travel outside of the country to find a professional wheelchair basketball league. The closest the US has to a professional wheelchair sports program is Team USA, which has a multitude of resources, as well as the Paralympic team, but not an individual professional sports league. 

In my opinion, this needs to change. I'm not suggesting that the athletes need to be paid as much as NBA or NFL players (although they should aspire to that one day), but first, we need to be recognized with our own professional sports organizations. There should be more opportunities for people with disabilities to play sports at more than just a handful of colleges and universities, and these opportunities should include more than just a wheelchair basketball program. 

I'm not disparaging wheelchair basketball at all; I'm simply saying that there should be more adaptive sports offered at these universities. In my research, I found 11 programs that the NCAA recognizes for wheelchair sports, with another 21 different schools throughout the country offering recreational and team programs that are not sanctioned by the NCAA. 

I call on university systems throughout the country to make it easier for people with disabilities who want to compete for their institution to do so. There should not be only 11 places where individuals with disabilities can receive scholarships to play a sport. I believe we have a long way to go. What are your thoughts on this? Leave a comment and share this post.