USA Water Ski & Wake Sports is pleased to announce it has received an adaptive sports grant totaling more than $335,000 from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to provide veteran athletes with disabilities an opportunity to experience water skiing as a recreational and competitive activity.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs awards nearly $16 million through its annual Adaptive Sports Grant program to 102 national and community groups offering adaptive sports and equine therapy. The grants support more than 13,500 disabled veterans and members of the armed forces to engage in sports opportunities.
“We are very much appreciative of the grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to support our disabled veterans and introduce them to the sport of water skiing,” said Nate Boudreaux, executive director of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports. “This unprecedented funding for our adaptive sport discipline will enable us to create more opportunities for veterans with disabilities.”
USA Water Ski & Wake Sports will host 10 adaptive Learn to Ski clinics for veterans with disabilities in 2022, concentrating in geographical regions where there are currently limited opportunities for adaptive veterans and members of the Armed Forces. The grant also provides funding for 10 veteran competitive adaptive water ski athletes to purchase necessary equipment (valued at $9,500) for participation.
“This is such a wonderful opportunity to share life on the water with our military heroes, said Matthew Oberholtz, president of USA Adaptive Water Ski & Wake Sports, one of nine sport discipline organizations of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports. “Water skiing is a terrific way to forge relationships of trust and build personal confidence. We thank the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for this tremendous grant.”
Clubs interested in hosting a clinic or competitive adaptive veteran water skiers seeking equipment funding should reach out to Molly Crum, partnership services manager of USA Water Ski & Wake Sports, at mcrum@usawaterski.org.