FROM BEEP BASEBALL to wheelchair basketball, adaptive sports make it possible for Indy athletes with disabilities to compete in meaningful ways across the city. Through the Adaptive Sports Program at Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana, about 375 athletes participate in competitive and noncompetitive team sports, elite and Paralympic athletic programs, and recreational clinics including yoga and boxing. The Adaptive Sports Program gives youth and adults with spinal cord, orthopedic, neuromuscular, and visual impairments an opportunity to compete and excel in power soccer, sled hockey, tennis, lacrosse, and more.
In addition to providing individuals with disabilities a myriad of sports opportunities, the RHI program also empowers them through camaraderie. “It’s not just a sport,” says Karen Lawrence, director of RHI Sports at the RHI Foundation. “You have your teammates. You get to learn about your disability and things you didn’t think you could do.”
Similarly, the Indy Thunder beep baseball team strives to give individuals who are blind and visually impaired an opportunity to compete while connecting them with others. Originally started in 2000, the team won its sixth National Beep Baseball Association championship in 2025 with an undefeated 26-0 record. Nevertheless, coach Jared Woodard says the team is out to do more than rack up victories. “My ultimate goal is not just winning on the field but encouraging my players and giving them the tools and support they need to pursue whatever it is they want to achieve off the field.” The primary differences between beep baseball and regular baseball, Woodard explains, are that beep baseball is played with a 16-inch beeping softball and relies heavily on hearing. “If somebody hits the ball, first or third base is going to buzz, and they don’t know which one it’s going to be,” he says. “So whatever base comes on, they have to go down and touch it before the defense picks the ball up.”
As a person who’s hard of hearing, Fishers resident Jason Wagner had difficulty finding fitness classes in an accessible environment. “I faced challenges when working out,” he shares. Orangetheory Fitness made adjustments so he could fully participate. “They use clear visual cues and gestures, and the studio’s display screens show time intervals, heart rates, and exercises,” Wagner says. “I feel respected and supported in classes.”
When it comes to finding a gym that fully accommodates for a particular disability, Wagner advises having a high standard for inclusion. Ask questions. Lots of them. “To others with disabilities who are searching for a gym that feels like home, I would say this: Do not hesitate to advocate for yourself,” Wagner urges. “Fitness should be for everyone.”
