Adaptive Sports USA honors athletes and contributors for their outstanding achievements and contributions to adaptive sports and the adaptive sports community. Click the tabs below see award descriptions and past recipients.
Call for Nominations for the Hall of Fame and Jan Elix award. Deadline for submissions is August 15, 2020.
Hall of Fame
The Adaptive Sports USA Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding individuals who have made a significant impact in the adaptive sports arena in one of two categories: Athlete or Contributor.
Athlete: Recognizes an athlete who has, in their participation in national and international competition, distinguished themselves through outstanding performance and superior sportsmanship over the span of at least five (5) years.
Contributor: Individuals such as a coach, administrator, founder, event director that has made significant contributions to Adaptive Sports USA in administration, management, coaching and/or promotion.
Award recipients are announced at the Adaptive Sports USA National Conference and Delegate Assembly each fall.
Award Recipients
Athletes
2019 Jessica Cloy
2018 Scot Hollonbeck
2016 Kevin Saunders
2012 Mike Ward
2012 Mikel Vandello
2010 Sherry Ramsey (Schulz)
2008 Joann Cornett Dunn
2008 Carlos Rodriguez
2007 Jennifer Johnson
2007 Jim Martinson
2004 Jon Brown
2004 Ann Cody
2002 Jean Driscoll
2002 Hugh Smith
2001 Bart Dodson
2001 Randy Snow
2000 Tom Brown
2000 Ray Clark
1999 Jerry Deets
1999 Joe Grejdus
1998 Sebastion DeFrancesco
1998 Bart McNichol
1998 Marcia Kulick
1997 Arnold Astrada
1997 Candace Cable
1997 Connie Head
1996 Robert Ocvirk
1996 Gary Kerr
1995 George Conn
1995 Eddie Coyle
1994 Ken Brooks
1994 Bill Griggs
1993 Mike Dempsey
1993 George Murray
1993 Rodney Vlieger
1992 Sharon Hedrick
1992 Kent Hogan
1991 Marty Ball
1991 Bob Hall
1991 Skip Wilkins
1990 Ella Cox
1990 John Gray
1989 John Jay Brown
1989 Susan Hagel
1988 Sharon Myers
1988 Ty Kaus
1987 Bea Anderson
1987 Karen Casper
1987 Richard Rosenbaum
1986 Christa Welger
1985 Ronald Halsey
1985 Scott Robeson
1984 Jan Little
1984 William Johnson
1983 Richard Maduro
1983 James Mathis
1983 Dino Wallen
1983 Carol Giesse Wooledge
1983 Bruce Karr
1982 Karen Donaldson
1982 David Williamson
1981 Ruth Rosenbaum
1981 Peter Krajewski
1980 Reno Levis
1978 Julius Duval
1978 Evelyn Moore
1977 William Fairbanks
1977 Darlene Quinlan
1976 Vincent Falardeau
1975 Stefen Florescu
1974 Lou Rossini
1973 Cliff Crase
1972 Denver Branum
1972 Robert Hawkes
1971 Jack Whitman
1971 Rosalie Hixon
1970 Timothy Harris
1970 Ronald Stein
1970 Alonzo Wilkins
Contributors
2019 Denise Hutchins
2018 Cindy Housner
2018 Gregg Baumgarten
2017 Debbie & Ralph Armento
2016 Jeannie Senter
2012 Gerry & Gwena Herman
2010 Pam Wilson
2009 Pete Arballo
2009 Barry Ewing
2008 Paul Kotlerjahn
2007 Paul DePace
2007 Pat Putt
2006 Dave Baskin
2004 Joe Lyttle
2004 Arleen Sand
2004 Charles Sheppard
2002 Curt Beamer
2001 Marty Morse
2000 Barbara Chambers
2000 Les Rothman
1999 Mary Carpenter
1999 Jan Elix
1998 Andy Chasanoff
1998 Joan Karpuk
1997 Maureen Freeda
1997 Lyn Rourke
1996 Karen Johnstone
1994 Bill & Brenda Greene
1993 G. Andrew Fleming
1992 Jim Messer
1992 John Noisette
1992 Ariel Roman
1991 Sharon Brooks
1991 Anne Lipton
1991 Wayne Protheroe
1990 Robert J Szyman, PhD
1989 Ian Chafee
1988 Judy Benoit
1988 Dan Sullivan
1986 Casey Clarke, PhD
1984 Richard Kuntzler
1983 Stanley Myers, MD
1981 Pat Karman
1979 Robert Classon
1978 B. Cairbre McCann, MD
1977 Stan Labanowich, PhD
1974 H. Charles Ryder
1973 Ted McLean
1972 Al Youakim
1971 Seymour Bloom
1970 Benjamin Lipton
1970 Timothy Nugent
Jan Elix Award
The Jan Elix award is given by the Adaptive Sports USA Junior Committee to honor Jan Elix, a dedicated woman that made an impact as an athlete, coach, Adaptive Sports USA Board member, mentor and long standing member of the Junior Committee for decades before her passing. The award recognizes a coach, organizer, official and/or classifier that display’s Jan’s core values and positive characteristics. Recipients must:
- Serve in the administrative role as a coach, official, organizer, or classifier and be in good standing with Adaptive Sports USA.
- Have dedicated their time and effort to the expansion and growth of competitive sports for athletes with physical disabilities and/or visual impairments in their local communities and/or at a national level.
- Serve as a mentor to colleagues and/or athletes.
- Have a long-standing commitment to the vision and future of competitive sports for athletes with physical disabilities and/or visual impairments
Award recipients are announced at the Adaptive Sports USA Jr. Nationals in July.
Award Recipients
2019 Teresa Skinner
2018 Tomie Zuchetto
2017 Kathe Hickey
2016 Charles Sheppard
2015 Denise Hutchins
2014 John Stephens
2013 Cindy Housner
2012 Gregg Baumgarten
2011 Pam Carey
2010 Arleen Sand
2009 Philip Galli & Jessica (Galli) Cloy
2008 Donald Chaffee & Dick Doucette
2007 Barry Ewing
2006 Ralph & Debra Armento
Jr. Nationals Spirit of Excellence
The Jr. Nationals Spirit of Excellence Award honors a female and male athlete from each sport offered that have shown exemplary sportsmanship, leadership, and athletic achievement.
Award recipients are announced at the Adaptive Sports USA Jr. Nationals in July.
Award Recipients
Female
Archery
2016 Elizabeth Becker
2015 Elizabeth Becker
2013 Caitlin Goerlich
2012 Kayla Hicks
2011 Lynne Ganley
2010 Melanie Watson
Field
2019 Danielle Kanas
2018 Mei-Li Duden
2017 Kasey Nickel
2016 Stephanie Marquez
2015 Kaitlyn Schewanick
2014 Samantha Smolka
2013 Curran Brown
2012 Anna Day
2011 Tiffany Melchoiorre
2010 Alexandra Badeaux
Paratriathlon
2019 Magnolia Peters
2017 Catarina Guimares
Powerlifting
2019 Kelli Anne Stallkamp
2017 Amanda Merlau
2015 Alexandra Kay
2014 Bridgette Wise
2012 Tiffany Melchoiorre
2011 Kelsey Haas
2010 Lindsey Good
Shooting
2019 Ryanne Carr
Swimming
2019 Amaris Vasquez
2018 Abigail Gase
2017 Calista Susa
2016 Ahalya Lettenberger
2015 Mary Kate Cooper
2014 Elisabet Ruiz-Torres
2012 Ariel Liker
2011 Carissa Gore
2010 Jennifer Faes
Table Tennis
2018 Ryanne Carr
2011 Caitlin Goerlich
Track
2019 Catarina Guimaraes
2018 Teylor Becher
2017 Aerelle Jones
2016 Amanda Malawski
2015 Katrina Gerhardt
2014 Serena Jaros
2013 Jessica Rogers
2012 Alexandra Badeaux
2011 Sydney Bolen
Male
Archery
2019 Jeremy Manko
2017 Scott Niles
2016 Noah Barbknecht
2015 Brendan Courier
2013 Mitchell Kohl
2011 Mitchell Miles
2010 Gianfranco Iannotta
Field
2019 Jose Matthews
2018 Tyler Jones
2017 Isaac Sullivan & Brian Nelson
2016 Gianni Toce
2015 Jacque Billingsley
2014 Beecher Bruno
2012 Mitchell Miles
2011 Tyler Pickett
2010 Dylan Wilson
Paratriathlon
2019 Owen Horsley
Powerlifting
2018 Tristan Putt
2017 Debrandson Davidson, Jr.
2016 Justin Phongsavanh
2015 Tyler Tippen
2014 Dylan Wilson
2013 Zsolt Vincze
2012 Bryce Segura
2011 Josh Berenado
2010 Chase Brossett
Shooting
2019 Zebidiah Pfenning
Swimming
2019 Gavin Morrobel
2016 Beecher Bruno
2015 Stephen Machak
2014 Trey Davis
2013 Stephen Koziel
2012 Aleks Puumala
2011 Jim “Westly” Cuevas
2010 Adam Saldana
Table Tennis
2018 Magitang Kiko Mina
2014 Stephen Machak
2013 Danny Scrivano
2012 Julian Santiago
2011 Linas Pagano
2010 Joshua Melendez
Track
2019 Lucas Jundt and Jason Robinson
2018 Matthew Fertig
2017 Chance Milledge
2016 Miguel Jiminez-Vergara
2015 Christian Clemmons
2014 Nicholas Badeaux
2012 Nishan Patel
2011 Adam Cruz
2010 Sean Burns
Ted Kaplan Award
The Ted Kaplan Award is given by the Tri-State Wheelchair and Ambulatory Athletics Association (TSWAA) to honor Ted Kaplan, their original founder. Ted Kaplan was a real pioneer in the development of wheelchair sports. Ted started the New Jersey Wheelchair Athletic Association in the early 1970’s along with Sharon Brooks, Ken Brooks and Andy Chasanoff and was a catalyst to helping athletes succeed. Ted, who was a wheelchair user himself, died of cancer in the early 1980’s. His portrait continues to grace the Clark Recreation Center where the NJ Jaguars practice to this day.
Because of his legacy in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and beyond, the TSWAA annually honors his memory to a deserving individual who has made a significant contribution in the advancement of adaptive sports for juniors with the Ted Kaplan Award.
Award recipients are announced at the Adaptive Sports USA Jr. Nationals in July.
Award Recipients
2018 Jimmy Cuevas
2017 Barbara Chambers
2016 Trisha Yurochko
2015 Mike Burns
2014 Debra Armento
2013 John Stephens
2012 Jeannie Senter
2011 Denise Hutchins
2010 Philip Galli
2009 Pam Carey
2008 Ralph Armento
2007 Charles Sheppard
2005 Gwena & Gerry Herman
2004 Cliff Crase
2002 Arleen Sand
2001 Sharon Frant Brooks
1998 Donald Chaffee
1996 Martin Morse
1995 Mary Carpenter
1994 Jan Elix
1993 Pat Putt
1992 JoAnn Armstrong
1987 Andy Chasanoff
Sports N Spokes Jr. Athlete of the Year
The SNS Junior Athlete of the Year award is given by Sports N Spokes Magazine and recognizes a young athlete making a difference. The athlete would not be considered solely for a stellar athletic performance. Nominees must:
- Be 21 years old or younger
- Be good students
- Make significant contributions to their schools in sports as well as other activities
- Be active in their communities volunteering for various projects and causes.
Nominations can be submitted from coaches, officials or others. Nomination forms, deadlines and submission information can be found online at http://pvamag.com/sns/community/nominate_jr_athlete/. Questions? Contact sns@pvamag.com or 602-224-0500 ext 106.
Award recipients are announced at the Adaptive Sports USA Jr. Nationals in July.
Award Recipients
2019 Joanna Nieh, New York
2018 Kelvin Fields, Mississippi
2017 Jason Robinson
2016 Kayla Bolnick, Oregon
2015 Noah Blue Elk Hotchkiss
2014 Mark Braun, Minnesota
2013 Rachel Kroener, Arizona
2012 Raymond Martin, New Jersey
2011 Jessica Rogers, Maryland
2011 Dylan Levine, New Jersey
2009 Josh Swoverland, Indiana
2008 Jill Moore, North Carolina
2007 Ryan Chalmers, New York
2006 Dana Fink, Georgia
2005 Steven Serio, New York
2004 Michael Timpa, Louisiana
2003 Mia Ives-Rublee, North Carolina
2003 Kevin Hosea, Ohio
2002 Joshua George, Virginia
2001 Sarah Castle, Colorado
2000 Jennifer Howitt, California
1999 Jessica Galli, New Jersey
1988 Joshua Brunies, Louisiana
1997 Eddie McGee, New York
1996 Becky Covington, Virginia
1995 Ashley Hovey, Colorado
1995 Tyler Byers, Washington
1993 Shannon Morrisey, Kansas
1993 Feike Waque, Holland
1992 LeAnn Shannon, Florida
1991 Abigail Park, New Jersey
1990 Eric Neitzel, California
1989 Jennifer Hazen, New Jersey
1988 Tony Lara, California
1987 Paul Hathcox, Florida
1986 Luis Betts, Washington
JAY COYNER AWARD
Jay Coyner was a wheelchair track athlete with the Arizona Heat Team in the early 90’s. Jay wasn’t the top athlete on his team nor the most talented, but he was loved by everyone because he gave his teammates the encouragement and positive attitude that everyone needs to succeed. At practice, he encouraged his teammates to do their best and helped them to be more positive in their performance. In competition, he did the same for all, even his opponents.
One evening, Jay was pushing home from practice when he was unfortunately hit by a car. He was in a coma as he turned 18 and subsequently passed away shortly after.
Two Jay Coyner Awards are given each year: one at Junior Nationals and one by AzDS to an Arizona Heat team member. These awards are given to the athlete who best exemplifies the type of person that Jay was:
- One who cheered on everyone, friend or foe alike.
- One who was always positive and encouraging
- One who was not the fastest nor the best, but who showed up every day ready to try his best
Award Winners
2019 Johnothen Munding
2018 Jody Putnam
2017 Eva Neimeijer
