Meet Monica from Warren, Maine! Monica is a loving mother of two, a dedicated school counselor, and an unstoppable spirit. Monica has been living with her SCI for over 20 years, and while her life has been full of achievements in education, career, and community, she recently rediscovered a long-held passion: adaptive sports.

Monica was first introduced to adaptive sports and recreation this past summer at the Wheel Together Retreat at The Adaptive Outdoor Education Center in Maine. Absolutely hooked on the idea of adaptive sports, Monica applied to the first-ever KBF Wheelchair Sports Camp. 

“Before my spinal cord injury, I was a very active athlete. I competed in cheerleading, ran track, and played softball,” Monica shares. “Since my injury, my focus has been on higher education, building my career, raising my family, and supporting my community. While I’ve always had an interest in adaptive sports, I hadn’t made them a priority until recently. Attending the Wheel Together Retreat reignited my passion to be active and sparked a drive to continue exploring adaptive sports.”

At camp, Monica’s goals were clear: build friendships, try new wheelchair sports, bring back knowledge to her community, have fun without guilt, and boost her confidence on and off the court. Reflecting on her experience, she says, “As I flew back to the East Coast, I couldn’t help but smile and giggle thinking about all the fun we had playing adaptive sports. I’ve always been athletic and competitive, but I hadn’t had the chance to ‘unleash the beast’ with a group of people physically similar to me.”

One trend that we hear from all of our camps is that the experience is more than just the sports we participate in. “Not only did I get to play sports,” says Monica, “but I found a group of campers, staff, and companions who were rooting for me, and I believe they’ll continue to do so as my adaptive sports journey begins. The impact this camp has had on my life cannot be measured in words. All I can say is, the best is yet to come.”

Monica’s story is a reminder that it’s never too late to rediscover your passions, find your community, and embrace the joy of movement!