Introducing our February Youth Spotlight: John Grimsley. John has been an integral part of BlazeSports for four years, actively engaging in wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis, and track and field. Among his many achievements, John takes pride in earning a starting position on the prep basketball team. One cherished memory he holds is the post-tennis practice time with his friends, as they chase each other around the tennis courts, laughing, hanging out together and creating great memories. Already a great advocate for adaptive sports, John recently won a competition to become “mayor for ..read more

Our December Veteran Spotlight shines on Terry Gilliam, a former Corporal in the Army who served in mechanized infantry. Terry is an active participant in archery and bowling, but his journey goes beyond sports. Terry credits BlazeSports for helping him reclaim the social aspects of his life that he had long lost. Through the adaptive archery program, he has not only honed his physical skills but has also seen significant growth in his self-esteem, character, and self-confidence. Terry expresses his gratitude, saying, “Thank you for allowing me to be myself!” We are immensely proud to have Ter ..read more

Our December Youth Spotlight is Adela Ajelo. Adela has been with BlazeSports for almost 1 year, participating in track and field and wheelchair basketball. Her favorite memory while being with Blaze is when her track wheelchair flipped over while she was at practice. She said this taught her to pick herself back up and to never give up! An accomplishment Adela is proud of is when she received second place in track and field. The best words to describe Adela are brave, ambitious, and kind. We are so excited that Adela joined our BlazeSports family, and we know she has a bright future ahead of h ..read more

Our November youth spotlight is Titus Steere an athlete who has been with BlazeSports for 3 years and has made a huge impact on all of us in that time. Titus participates in wheelchair basketball, tennis, track and field, and swimming and continues to excel in his sports. Titus says his favorite memory while being with BlazeSports is when he scored a basket in a basketball game for the first time. Titus’ says his greatest accomplishment is when he performed a rap at his school’s talent show. Three words to best describe him are encouraging, creative, and entertaining. We could not agree more a ..read more

Our November Veteran spotlight is James E. Crosby. James’ story is a powerful testament to the strength and resilience of veterans who continue to serve as inspirations within their communities. Having dedicated 20 years to serving in the US Army, James has faced challenges with PTSD, lung disease sarcoidosis, and a tumor between his eyes and brain. Despite these hardships, it’s inspiring to see how he has found support and solace in the services provided by BlazeSports. Through engaging in sports, James finds a valuable escape from his daily problems, a therapeutic environment to work on his ..read more

Our Alumni Spotlight for October is Martinez Johnson, a recent Triumph of the Human Spirit award winner for Alumnus of the Year. Martinez played for the BlazeSports basketball team from 2010-2012, where he then went on to play wheelchair basketball at the University of Illinois, and also gained his undergraduate and master’s degrees. Over the last two years, Martinez has dedicated a great amount of his time as a BlazeSports varsity and prep basketball coach. He excels at coaching, as he sets personalized workouts for each individual athlete, and meets with them to discuss ways to improve their ..read more

Our Veteran spotlight for October is retired Sgt Cecilia Loren. Cecilia Loren was an MP in the Army National Guard for 9 years. She was injured while serving overseas in Afghanistan in 2012. During her service she enjoyed working on and learning about different weapons. While recovering at Walter Reed she started adaptive archery and air rifle. She also enjoys baking, singing, swimming, reading, writing and hunting. When she moved to Georgia, she eventually found a home with BlazeSports. She spent 7 years after retirement feeling like she had nowhere to go. Blaze has not only gotten her out of ..read more

BlazeSports is excited to host the 8th annual Big Peach Slam Jam, presented by the Atlanta Hawks and sanctioned by the WNBA. February 3rd & 4th, 2024 Location: TBD The post Big Peach Slam Jam 2024 appeared first on BlazeSports America ..read more

Maggie Frederick, a BlazeSports Alumnus, was born with spina bifida. From a young age, Maggie’s passion for athletics was clear, eventually leading her to BlazeSports once she was introduced to the organization at a meet and greet. After that initial meeting, Maggie was interested in learning more about Blaze and attended a BlazeSports summer camp. She made her way to becoming a BlazeSports athlete at age ten and continued through the program until she graduated from high school and headed to the University of Illinois.  Following her time at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ..read more

Bailey Moody was ten years old when she was diagnosed with stage four osteosarcoma, a cancerous tumor that later led to the amputation of her right leg. She was introduced to adaptive sports with BlazeSports at the age of 12, where she began playing wheelchair basketball for the BlazeSports Jr. Hawks in 2014. BlazeSports gave this young girl the confidence she needed, and she has risen to become a young talent on the U.S. women’s wheelchair national team.  Bailey represented the United States at the 2018 Wheelchair Basketball World Championship in Hamburg, Germany. The team finished si ..read more