ATF youth program gives adaptive athletes free training and mentorship

Adaptive Training Foundation, with support from Globe Life, is expanding a year-round youth program for children and teens with physical disabilities across the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The cost-free effort blends training, camps and mentorship to build strength, confidence and belonging.

Why it matters: - The Adaptive Training Foundation youth program gives young adaptive athletes a place to train, connect and build confidence in a setting built for their needs. - The 100% cost-free model removes a financial barrier for families across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. - The program aims to help children with physical disabilities feel included in sports and physical activity while developing community support that can last beyond camp.

What happened: - Adaptive Training Foundation, with support from Globe Life, is running a year-round Adaptive Youth Program for children and teens ages 8 to 18. - The program offers adaptive training, camps and mentorship throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. - ATF says the program includes nine one-day clinics and three week-long summer camps each year. - Colin Anderson, ATF’s executive director, said the program is often the first place many participants feel they belong. - Jennifer Haworth, chief marketing officer at Globe Life, said the program is transformational and helps young athletes see what they can achieve.

The details: - The youth program is built on the same holistic approach ATF uses for adult programming. - Training is paired with mentorship, peer connection and family engagement. - Young athletes work with ATF coaches and alumni athletes who understand how to adapt movement to different bodies. - During week-long summer camps, each child is paired one-to-one with an ATF alumni mentor. - Those mentor relationships are designed to provide encouragement, guidance and a visible example of what is possible. - ATF says many of those relationships continue after camp ends. - Families also gain a community of children, parents, athletes and mentors connected by shared experiences rather than defined by physical differences. - ATF describes the program as a way to maximize capabilities and redefine futures through exercise and community. - More information is available at Adaptive Training Foundation. - More information is available at Globe Life.

Between the lines: - The program is as much about belonging as it is about athletic development. - The mentorship model suggests ATF is trying to create long-term support, not just short-term camps. - Globe Life’s backing gives the program additional scale and stability for families who need no-cost services.

What's next: - ATF is expected to continue the year-round schedule of clinics, camps and mentorship for youth athletes in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. - The program's impact will likely grow as more children and families connect with ATF’s coach-and-mentor network.

The bottom line: - ATF and Globe Life are using free adaptive sports programming to give young athletes more than training: a place to belong, grow and keep coming back.