The American Association of AdaptED Sports Programs (AAASP) is beginning its search for the next Executive Director of the organization. The new Director will be on board by January of 2025, and will work for several months with the current Executive Director and Co-Founder, Tommie Storms, who announced her intention to retire at the end of the 2024 -2025 school year.

In 1996, Storms co-founded what is now the American Association of AdaptED Sports Programs, with Bev Vaughn, a therapeutic recreation specialist, credited with designing an adapted sport, school-based model, so unique and significant, that the Atlanta Paralympic Organizing Committee deemed it, “The model for the nation.” Utilizing her business, media, education and legal acumen, Storms developed and has managed the funding, operations and organizational structure of AAASP since its inception.  She has served in various capacities including Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director. Vaughn, who retired in 2021, also served as Executive Director and remains a member of the AAASP Board of Directors.

While serving as a national advocate and influencer, advising government and educational leaders on best practices, assisting organizations nationwide with training, training aids and programming assistance, AAASP is substantially a membership of Georgia schools, offering team “adaptED sports” to hundreds of athletes in 16 school districts. (Source Data: 2023-24 school year.)  Eligible students with a physical disability, anywhere in Georgia, can participate on their high school track and field team, through the adapted division created by the AAASP/GHSA Alliance. Similarly, the AAASP/GHSA Wheelchair Basketball State Championship is fully integrated into Georgia’s interscholastic infrastructure, alongside non-disabled student-athletes’ teams. The annual Wheelchair Basketball Championship game is also streamed nationwide over NFHS.net.

According to Storms, “We’ve always seen Georgia as our prototype, our way of demonstrating that, through our model, local, school-based adapted sports programming could and should be offered everywhere - safely and affordably. The physical and academic benefits to these deserving kids, really is extraordinary.”

Today, after nearly 30 years in operation, AAASP has enjoyed many honors, awards, accolades and key partnerships, including with the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA), state departments of education and state high school associations. Working with some of the most recognized and respected names in disability sport, AAASP continues to fill the nation’s need for an organization to champion and govern an interscholastic athletics infrastructure for physically-challenged student-athletes.

Reflecting on her hopes for the future of the organization, Storms shared, “We could not be more excited to see who might come forward to take a now well-established organization, to the next level, through their own talent, passion and commitment to serve these deserving athletes and families. This is a rare opportunity for another true visionary. We’ve built it well. Now, where will the new leader take it?”

This position is remote (WFH) and offers an excellent salary and benefits. AAASP invites applicants who believe they are uniquely qualified and ready to lead, to apply. An overview of the key responsibilities, education, experience requirements, as well as benefits and salary are listed at this link: https://adaptedsports.org/job-openings/

For more information on this opportunity and the organization, please visit:  https://adaptedsports.org .

The American Association of AdaptED Sports Programs (AAASP), headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is a not-for-profit association dedicated to developing interscholastic adapted sports programs in partnership with national, state, and local educational agencies.  For nearly 3 decades, AAASP has represented a standardized approach to extracurricular adapted team sports and has developed one of the nation's most comprehensive school-based athletic programs for students with physical disabilities attending grades 1-12.  For more information, please visit our website at http://adaptedsports.org or join our conversations on Twitter and Instagram at: @AdaptedSports.