Guest Speaker and Entrepreneur Tasha Schuh Spoke to a Packed House at the ASPIRE Awards in Locust Grove This Year
The American Association of Adapted Sports Programs, Inc. (AAASP) is proud to announce the 2026 ASPIRE Awards Recipients, representing 23 categories that highlight outstanding contributions in support of student athletes with qualifying disabilities. The Adapted Sports Programs in Recreation and Education (ASPIRE) Awards recognize the exemplary efforts of individuals and organizations that have been instrumental in advancing AAASP’s mission to expand access to adapted sports programming nationwide.
The Eighth Annual ASPIRE Awards Celebration took place on Sunday, September 27th at Locust Grove Event Center in Locust Grove, Georgia. More than 79 individuals and organizations were nominated in 23 categories, with 27 receiving awards last night. Below please find a list of recipients for 2026:
2026 ASPIRE AWARD RECIPIENTS
Adapted Track & Field Athlete of the Year
Ben Vondrak - Wesleyan School
Coach of the Year Award -JV
Ryan Johnson - Clarke Classic City Dawgs
Coach of the Year Award - Varsity
Jaqueline Randall - Houston County Sharks
Community-Based Award
Adaptive Sports Northwest (ASNW) - Portland, OR
Education-Based Award
Muscogee County School District - Muscogee Lions
Eli Wolff Advocacy Award
Tanya Anderson - Georgia High School Association
Dr. Alan Long - BSN Sports
Gail Hendrick Champion of Support Award
Virginia and Curtis Tabron - Houston County Sharks
High School Senior Athlete Award
Blakelea Speer - West Georgia Wolverines
Leslie Sweatman Official of the Year Award
Ted Childs - AAASP Official
Media Hero Award
GPB Sports - Atlanta, GA
Most Improved JV Athlete
Halyn Duncan - Clarke Classic City Dawgs
Most Improved Varsity Athlete
Ruby Stachowski - Houston County Sharks
The Dr. Ralph Swearngin Spirit of AAASP Sportsmanship Award
Jaden Screen - Houston County Sharks
Vaughn Storms Founders Award
DeKalb County School District - Stone Mountain, GA
Kyle Pease Foundation - Atlanta, Georgia
Varsity Scholar Athlete
Jenna Proctor - Calhoun High School
Wheelchair Basketball Athlete of the Year Award – JV
Ja’Corian Carter - Georgia Storm
Wheelchair Basketball Athlete of the Year Award – Varsity
Anthony Cuti - Houston County Sharks
Wheelchair Football Athlete of the Year Award – JV
Paul Hart -Muscogee Lions
William Hannah - Georgia Storm
Wheelchair Football Athlete of the Year Award – Varsity
Gary Woodruff - Clayton Eagles
Wheelchair Handball Athlete of the Year Award - JV
Lane Rogers - Clarke Classic City Dawgs
Wheelchair Handball Athlete of the Award -Varsity
AJ Burns - Peach County Rolling Trojans
Heart and Hustle Award
Piper Barronton - Houston County Sharks
Jeremiah Rhodes - Peach County Rolling Trojans
Adapted Sports League MVP
Laila Kindness - Houston County Sharks
Highlights of the ASPIRE Awards event, emceed by actor, writer and television personality Patrick Cusick, featured the AAASP 30th Anniversary Walk – a mini walk-through exhibit highlighting three decades of adapted sports history, an inspirational presentation and performance from Tasha Schuh, Speaker, Author, and Resilience Coach, as well as dinner and the awards ceremony, honoring 79 nominees across Georgia and the nation.
Thank you to the following 2026 AAASP ASPIRE Awards Sponsors: Northside Hospital - Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, Henry County Department of Parks and Recreation, and Rally Recognition. AAASP would also like to thank the following partners: the Georgia Department of Education, the State of Georgia, the Georgia High School Association (GHSA), National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), Bridgestone Americas and the AAASP Board of Directors.
Please visit: https://adaptedsports.org/2026-aspire-awards/ for more information on this year’s event.
