Who we are
Wintergreen Adaptive Sports provides outdoor sports and recreational opportunities for persons with disabilities, of all ages and with all types of disabilities.
At Wintergreen Adaptive Sports, we believe that everyone deserves the chance to experience the joy and freedom of outdoor sports, regardless of their abilities. Our mission is to provide inclusive opportunities for individuals with disabilities to engage in a variety of outdoor activities, from adaptive skiing and snowboarding to paddling.
We’re passionate about fostering a supportive community where participants can build confidence, develop new skills, and create lasting friendships. Whether you're a seasoned athlete or trying something new, our dedicated team and trained volunteers are here to ensure you have a safe and enjoyable experience.
Join us in embracing the great outdoors and unlocking the potential in every individual. Together, we can break down barriers and create unforgettable moments in nature!
Explore our programs, get involved, or donate today to help us spread the joy of outdoor sports to all!
“There’s that point of time... you’re trying to figure, ‘What is my life going to be like?’ You get out there, you’re doing something new and you attack it.”
“The key for successful adaptive programs is how you use the equipment and how you tailor your instruction to help your students achieve success. Our students, who are children and adults with all manner of disabilities, find they can participate and learn. Many become more independent. Our program gives them more confidence. They are reminded–as we all need to be–that there’s a big exciting world out there with a lot of things to try and do.
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On the slopes WAS offers lessons in two-track skiing, three-track skiing, four-track skiing, mono-skiing, bi-skiing, and snowboarding.
Over 3,000 students with disabilities have received adaptive instruction in outdoor sports through WAS.
Over a hundred volunteer instructors participate in both winter and summer programs each year as junior and senior level instructors.
In the summer, people of all ages with a wide array of disabilities have enjoyed paddling canoes and kayaks with WAS's instructional teams.
At a Glance
Wintergreen Adaptive Sports focuses on safety, fun, and learning. It is an independent 501c3 non-profit based at Wintergreen Resort in Nelson County, Virginia. WAS is a Chapter of Disabled Sports USA and a Paralympic sports club.
WAS celebrated its 19th Annual Wounded Warriors Weekend in 2023, offering Wounded Warrior athletes, and their family members and caregivers, an exciting weekend of snow sports instruction, rest and relaxation, and camaraderie.
The Wounded Warrior Golf Tournament and clinic, started in 2009, is a widely anticipated mid-summer event.
The WAS slope-side hut, constructed in 2000 and expanded in 2005, houses the entire adaptive snow sports program. A new addition will be open for use in the 2023-24 season.
The W.A.S. PT& Ski program is a unique offering that combines physical therapy and adaptive snow sports
Take a lesson, volunteer–GET INVOLVED–in Wintergreen Adaptive Sports HERE.