MISSION:    To improve the lives of individuals with physical and visual challenges through sports, recreation and active lifestyles.

Mid-South Adaptive Sports and Recreation (MASR) was founded to provide physically challenged children without significant cognitive delays the opportunity to participate in sports and recreational activities in the same way their able bodied peers do.  Everyone gains such an amazing amount of confidence and physical fitness through the pursuit of personal success in sports.  But challenged ahtletes, in particular, have an increased need to experience this mental and physical success and to discover all that they CAN do!

Every day, athletes with cerebral palsy, amputations, spina-bifida, spinal cord injury, muscular dystrophy, dwarfism, blindness and many other conditions are performing competitively and recreationally in track, field, swimming, tennis, basketball, baseball, archery, golf, volleyball, ice hockey, water and snow skiing and many other sports.  These are true competitors that have learned that they can succeed physically despite their limitation. These are individuals with confidence in themselves and a drive to persevere to personal and / or team success.

Although our participants may not all aspire to compete, they still reap similar rewards from participation at any level.  The confidence gained from personal success and achieved goals is only out-weighed by the sense of self worth and belonging gained from the camaraderie and friendships of similarly challenged athletes.  The  increase in physical strength, flexibility and balance is another great benefit of sports participation.

Challenged athletes deserve to know the power of pushing the limits of their disability to the point of going a little faster today than yesterday on the track; or of making one more basket on the court; or of contributing a little more to the success of the team.  They deserve to be happy and encouraged in their endeavors.  The smiles and on going eagerness of the participants are indications of our success as coaches and volunteers.  Our additional goal is to create a sense of personal accomplishment in the athletes that will drive them to practice and develop skills independently and to use learned skills during leisure time.  This carry over of confidence, self worth, increased physical abilities, empowerment, happiness and individual personal drive is the end product of individuals with physical challenges participating instead of sitting on the sidelines.

Unfortunately, such participation in school, community and church leagues which focus on the play level of the able-bodied, can be difficult if not impossible for physically and visually challenged athletes.    Therefore, MASR was established to help these individuals and their families discover all that they CAN do.

In response, we will run with perseverance the race marked out for us!