PlayLA Adaptive Youth Sports Program Launches 2024 Programming

The PlayLA Adaptive Youth Sports Program, an initiative launched by the city of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, kicked off its winter adaptive sports season on January 20 with the return of sitting volleyball clinics, supported by the Triumph Foundation.

PlayLA first introduced sitting volleyball in early 2022, and the sport, now in its third year, has continued to grow in popularity. The first clinic took place on January 20 at Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center, and four more clinics will be held at recreation centers across Los Angeles this winter.

“This is a very exciting year for the PlayLA Adaptive Youth Sports Program as we prepare to witness the amazing stories of athletes of all abilities on the world’s biggest stage during the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” said PlayLA Chief Operations Officer Austin Dumas. “This serves as a pathbreaking opportunity for the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks to increase awareness of the benefits adaptive sports can have for youth with disabilities and continue to increase access to our inclusive sports programming citywide.”

Para equestrian lessons, supported by Ride On, will begin this weekend and adaptive archery, also supported by the Triumph Foundation, will get underway in February.

Adaptive archery clinics debuted last year and recorded a high number of participants for PlayLA. Paralympic gold medalist and five-time world record holder Kevin Mather served as a coach to guide and mentor the youth archers. PlayLA will offer four adaptive archery clinics at Easton-Rancho Park Archery Range at Cheviot Hills Recreation Center beginning February 10.

Para equestrian, which is offered every season, has established itself as one of PlayLA’s most popular adaptive sports, with full registration and a waitlist for every lesson. PlayLA will host the first lesson of the season at Ride On on January 27 and will continue with weekly lessons through March 30.