Quinnipiac University To Host Second Annual Adaptive Sports And Recreation Exploration Day On Sept. 19

Quinnipiac University’s second annual Adaptive Sports and Recreation Exploration Day will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, in the Recreation and Wellness Center on the Mount Carmel Campus, 275 Mount Carmel Ave.

The free, public event will showcase adaptive sports, recreation opportunities and resources available throughout Connecticut and the region.

Hosted by Quinnipiac’s Center for Interprofessional Healthcare Education and the Connecticut Spinal Cord Injury Association, the event will feature demonstrations on the basketball court, including adaptive mountain biking, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, power soccer, adaptive cheer, a Miracle League home run derby and warmup exercises led by an adaptive running group.

Attendees also can learn about adaptive sports programs and equipment that can help people with disabilities participate in sports and recreation.

Organizations expected to participate include Miracle League, Gaylord Adaptive Sports, Achilles, Just Hands Racing Foundation, Leap of Faith, Rolling Thunder, Hospital for Special Care, Advanced Wheels, TOPS Soccer, Swim Angelfish, Summit Adaptive Sports and the Connecticut Stars.

“We want to make sure that people in the community are aware of all the resources that are here,” said Julie Booth, director of the Center for Interprofessional Healthcare Education and clinical associate professor of physical therapy at Quinnipiac. “We know what a difference it can make getting involved in adaptive sports and recreation, from the health and wellness benefits to the social part of it and the confidence.”

Last year’s inaugural event drew about 120 attendees, exceeding organizers’ expectations. Organizers moved this year’s event to the Recreation Center to provide more space for demonstrations and encourage greater community participation.

The event also provides Quinnipiac students with an opportunity to learn about adaptive sports and the roles health care professionals can play in supporting athletes with disabilities. Quinnipiac undergraduate and graduate students from the School of Health Sciences, School of Nursing and Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine are expected to participate.

“It’s truly an interprofessional team that works with athletes when they start to become involved in adaptive sports and recreation,” Booth said. “Recognizing the roles of all the other professionals that can be involved in that as well” is an important part of preparing future health care providers.

Booth said she hopes students will continue their involvement in adaptive sports and recreation beyond the event and after graduation.

“Just getting that experience, that they then continue to volunteer, and that’s what we hope to see as they graduate,” she said.

The event is open to people with disabilities, their families, health care professionals, students and anyone interested in learning more about adaptive sports and recreation.

About Quinnipiac University
Quinnipiac is a private, coeducational institution located 90 minutes north of New York City and two hours from Boston. The university enrolls 9,700 students in more than 100 degree programs through its Schools of Business, Communications, Education, Computing and Engineering, Health Sciences, Law, Medicine, Nursing and the College of Arts & Sciences. Quinnipiac is ranked 51st in The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse “2026 Best Colleges in the U.S.” and is also recognized by U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review’s “The Best 392 Colleges.” The university is expanding innovative programs for both traditional and adult learners and developing dynamic corporate partnerships. Quinnipiac recently completed a significant capital expansion on its main campus, including a state-of-the-art new School of Business and an interdisciplinary science and innovation hub. For more information, please visit qu.edu. Connect with Quinnipiac on Facebook and Instagram and follow Quinnipiac on X @QuinnipiacU.