Hello to all my loyal blog readers,
 
Sadly the summer of 2017 is over. As much as I enjoyed traveling around the U.S. and Spain doing camps, I’m excited about the fall. We’ve begun the Ryan Martin Foundation (RMF) junior team practice with a host of amazing student athletes. We are thrilled to welcome many new athletes to varsity and prep teams this fall.
 
Practice with Boston Celtics Coach Brad Stevens
A huge thank you to Coach Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics for inviting RMF athletes for a special practice last week. 25 athletes participated in the practice and post-practice video breakdown. What an amazing opportunity for our athletes. A special thank you to RMF sponsors Numotion, Advanced Wheels, and Hospital for Special Care for their support in this event.
 
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Bringing Wheelchair Basketball to UConn
The partnership between the University of Connecticut and RMF continues to develop. Thanks to a generous grant from the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) provided by the Craig H. Neilson Foundation, the hope of bringing an adaptive sports program to UConn gains momentum. RMF purchased equipment from Per4max in Dallas, Texas, ensuring UConn has the proper equipment needed to begin a wheelchair basketball program.
 
Members of Husky Adapted will be actively promoting this new program through early Fall and will be recruiting more members for the team. We at RMF are all extremely excited about the promise of launching a program in the Northeast. It is our hope that the collaboration of RMF and UConn can serve as a model for the other NCAA affiliated colleges/universities.
 
http://dailycampus.com/stories/2017/9/12/uconn-introduces-adaptive-sports-program?rq=wheelchair
 
Adapted Athlete Profile
One of the most exceptional adapted athletes in Connecticut, Sydney Satchell is a sitting volleyball athlete who has gone “all-in” on her quest to make the USA Paralympic sitting volleyball team. I met Sydney over the last several months while working with the Tolland Fund and UConn men’s basketball coach Kevin Ollie. A Division I athlete prior to her accident, Sydney is a great example of embracing life setbacks and finding the new opportunities they create. Everyone at RMF and the state of Connecticut is pulling for her to represent the USA national team in 2020. To learn more about, Sydney please visit www.sydneysatchell.com
 
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As always, thanks in advance for your feedback and support. To keep up with me and the Ryan Martin Foundation, I invite you to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Regards!
Ryan Martin, Guest Blogger

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Ryan Martin, Guest Blogger