Seattle Area Inclusive Sports

Written By Karissa Shiraishi

Compiled by Kristin Ringstad PT, DPT

It’s adaptive sport season! At First Step we love getting to hear about the many adaptive activities that our community is involved in. 

What are Adaptive Sports?

Let’s talk about what adaptive sports even are. Adaptive sports are opportunities for people of all abilities to participate in sports in the community. Typically adaptive sports feature rules or equipment modifications to allow for more people to participate fully. 

Some adaptive sport programs are casual and others can be quite competitive. 

Why are Adaptive Sports Awesome?

Adaptive sports promote health, mobility, independence, socialization, and can even help meet those PT goals! There are many adaptive programs in our area so families can find something that is rewarding for them! From soccer to swimming and from canoeing to snowshoeing. 

Here are a few of our favorite Adaptive Sport Activities in the greater Kirkland area. 

  • Outdoors for All: Outdoors for All is a national organization with a Western Washington chapter. They have many activities including: cycling, kayaking, hiking, rock climbing, yoga, weekend excursions, and summer camps. In the winter they offer: downhill skiing, snowboarding, Nordic ski, snowshoeing. Website: https://outdoorsforall.org/ 

  • Seattle Adaptive Sports: Offer several adaptive sport options for a wide range of ages. Currently they offer sled hockey and wheelchair basketball for kids. Seattle Adaptive Sports encourages all kids to sign up for their sports because, according to their mission statement “sports are for all bodies.” Website: https://www.seattleadaptivesports.org/youth-sports/ 

  • Baseball/Little League: 

    • Challenger league is a specific baseball league for individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities. They welcome children from 4-22 years old in the Little League designation and players older than 15 years in the Senior Challenger League. Challenger games typically are 1-2 innings and lst about an hour. Our local chapter is is Northshore. Website: https://www.littleleague.org/play-little-league/challenger/about-challenger/ 

  • Climbing: 

    • Edgeworks climbing gyms offer both adaptive classes and open adaptive climbing nights (pre-registration highly encouraged). Adaptive climbing nights are on the 4th Thursday of each month in Bellevue and the 3rd Monday of the month in Seattle. Edgeworks provides instructors, belayers, and adaptive equipment. Website: https://edgeworksclimbing.com/blog/adaptive-climb-nights/ 

  • Gymnastics: 

  • Hapkido: Hapkido is a soft style complete martial art system. 

  • Horseback Riding: 

    • Therapeutic Horsemanship is designed for folks with physical or intellectual disabilities. Horses can help reduce stress and anxiety and can help improve communication, sensory integration, strength, balance, and coordination. 

      • Empowering Strides is located between Snohomish and Monroe. If you go, say hi to Pickles the horse for us! Website: https://empoweringstrides.com/

      • Courageous Connections is a working farm that offers holistic supports for people of all ages and abilities including adaptive horseback riding. They are located in Marysville. Website: https://www.courageous-connections.org/

    • Hippotherapy is physical therapy on horseback (not on a hippopotamus as the name might imply). 

      • Littlebit offers hippotherapy as well as therapeutic horsemanship on their well-behaved horses. We are big fans of Pete the horse! They are located in Redmond. Website: https://www.littlebit.org/ 

  • Martial Arts: 

    • Oom Yung Doe offers one on one martial arts for folks with physical and/or intellectual disabilities in 8 complete martial arts classes. They are located in Kirkland and Seattle. Website: https://shadowsealsswimming.org/home 

  • Sailing:

  • Soccer:

    • TOP Soccer for players 4 years of age and older who have developmental and/or physical disabilities. The program is based on skill level, not age which can help everyone feel more successful. There are several locations that offer TOP Soccer including Redmond and Snohomish. Website: https://washingtonyouthsoccer.org/community/top-soccer/ 

  • Swimming:

Karissa Shiraishi
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Aquatic Therapy for All Ages!