211. Bridging the Gap: Accessibility, Coaching, and Adaptive Sports with Roni Andrew

In this episode of Help Me Understand, Coach JK McLeod sits down with Roni Andrew, a coach, advocate, and founder of We Are Boundless, an organization focused on supporting adaptive athletes and bridging the gap by promoting inclusion and accessibility in all sports.

Roni shares how her journey into adaptive sports began unexpectedly at the age of 40 with a dare to play soccer, and how it led to a deeper understanding of disability, community, and the power of inclusive coaching.

The conversation explores the importance of community support, the evolving role of coaches in adaptive sports, and why accessibility should be about adjusting the environment to meet the athlete’s needs...not the other way around.

Roni also shares how friendships with adaptive athletes shaped her perspective and inspired her mission with We Are Boundless.

Listeners will walk away with a better understanding of what inclusion in sports truly means...creating opportunities for all athletes and elevating the voices that have too often gone unheard.

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00:00 Introduction and Background

03:39 Journey into Adaptive Sports

06:32 The Impact of Community and Encouragement

09:25 Transitioning to Coaching and Leadership

12:29 Understanding Adaptive vs. Special Olympics

15:28 The Philosophy of Inclusivity in Sports

18:16 Accidental Specialization in Adaptive Sports

21:09 Building Programs for Adaptive Athletes

24:05 The Importance of Open Mindsets in Adaptation

29:56 The Open Mindset of Coaching

33:42 The Importance of Athlete Voice

38:04 Understanding Adaptive Training Curriculums

54:10 We Are Boundless: Bridging the Gap

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Mentioned in the episode: ADAPTX.ORG

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