The very first sport I played was wheelchair soccer. I loved it from my first practice. Even before that, sports have always been my major passion and shaped me into who I am today. I come from a sports-loving family, and watching sports was a pastime that always brought us together. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to play wheelchair sports growing up, and it gave me some of the most incredible memories of my life. Sports taught me many life lessons, including how to work with others and be a good teammate and leader. My passion for sports will continue to play an integral role in my life.
With the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics and the upcoming college and NFL football seasons, I was inspired to write about this lifetime passion of mine.
I Found Inspiration in the Olympics and Paralympics
Some of my earliest sports memories are watching the Olympics with my family, especially my mom and grandmother. They would get so excited cheering on Team USA that I wanted to watch every event with them. Our favorite events were swimming and gymnastics. When I was eight, Atlanta hosted the 1996 Olympics and Paralympics. I was so excited the games were being held in my home state. I vividly remember those games, including the Magnificent Seven US Women’s Gymnastics team winning their first team gold medal and track star Michael Johnson and his gold running shoes.
The Olympics were excellent, but I have even more incredible memories of the Paralympics. My aunt Barbara got tickets for my parents and me to the opening ceremonies of the Paralympics. It was a fantastic experience. It was my first time seeing athletes with disabilities up close. I remember Christopher Reeve bringing everyone together with his emotional speech. I also remember the torchbearer who lit the cauldron. He was a paraplegic athlete. He pulled himself up on a pully system with his upper body strength, carrying the torch between his legs and hoisting himself up to light the cauldron. It was an excellent display of strength and determination. The opening ceremony was a night I will never forget. I also had the opportunity to attend some events, such as track and swimming. The event I remember the most is swimming. I was amazed by all the athletes there. Seeing athletes enter the pool area and take off their limbs to swim was remarkable. They did not let their disabilities define who they were or stop them from being world-class athletes. Attending the 1996 Paralympics inspired me to want to be an athlete myself.
My team, the North Fulton Mustangs
From an early age, I had a strong desire to play sports. My parents and grandparents were athletes, and I wanted to be like them. I would attend my friend’s games because there was not a wheelchair sports league in my community. That all changed in 1997.
Inspired by the success of the 1996 Atlanta Paralympics, a new adapted wheelchair sports league was created in the suburbs of metro Atlanta called the American Association of Adapted Sports Programs or AAASP. AAASP partnered with schools in different counties to give students with physical disabilities from ages 6-21 the opportunity to play competitive sports. The league was co-ed; each county would have a team, and those teams would compete in wheelchair soccer, basketball, track and field, and later football. My friends and I were so excited when the AAASP representatives came to our elementary school looking for players. We could finally have the opportunity to play sports like our nondisabled peers.
We all quickly signed up, and our team, the North Fulton Mustangs, was born. As a nine-year-old wanting to be on a team, joining the Mustangs was a dream come true. For the first time, I was with a group of people who knew what I faced daily and shared my love of sports. The Mustangs became my second family. I am still friends with most of my teammates today. I also was fortunate to have incredible coaches who cared about our team and greatly impacted my life. There were so many things that I loved about our team. I loved that it was a co-ed league, and I could play with my girl and guy friends. Being on a co-ed team was a unique opportunity, that most nondisabled youth sports don’t offer. I loved learning everything about each sport we were playing. I loved that the league was challenging and competitive. I loved that we got to play a variety of different sports and that we had practices and games like other leagues.
I began with soccer. I quickly fell in love with it. I was mainly a defensive player because I did not have the best upper-body strength. My job was to guard the other team’s players to prevent them from scoring. I was surprised at how aggressive I was on the court. I had so much fun during games; it became a great outlet. The more I played, the greater my understanding of the game grew. I may not have been the greatest athlete on the team, but my coaches said my mind and comprehension of the game were my strengths. I became a leader on the Mustangs, and my teammates often asked me for advice. We did not win many games in our first few years, but we learned important life lessons, including perseverance, sportsmanship, and teamwork. Throughout my nine-year Mustang career, we won three state championships in wheelchair soccer, basketball, and football.
My senior season was my favorite because that was the year wheelchair football was created. Wheelchair football was the first time that I was an offensive player. It felt amazing to contribute to the team in a whole new way. Winning the 2006 wheelchair football state championship was my favorite moment playing sports. I am so grateful to have been a part of AAASP and the Mustangs for giving me a chance to be an athlete and make lifelong friends.
Playing with the Best
Amy Saffell (on the right) and I played together for three years. She is now the executive director of an adapted sports non-profit in Nashville, Tennessee, called Able Youth. Her organization gives children with physical disabilities a chance to play competitive wheelchair sports. Amy says one of the many benefits of playing wheelchair sports was building relationships with other people who have disabilities, whether it was athletes or coaches who had disabilities.
“From my peers, I found common ground in people who looked like me and went through the same medical things I went through so that I knew there were lots of other people like me,” says Amy. She enjoyed competitive sports because “So often as a person with a disability, people treat you like you’re fragile, but I loved getting to be competitive like everyone else, and I loved showing everyone in the crowd or people I talked about it with that people with disabilities could play competitive sports.” Amy explained that her favorite things about the Mustangs were playing on a team for the first time and being part of a community that truly understood her.
Austin Morrison said the Mustangs positively impacted his life in many ways. He said “Playing competitive wheelchair sports was an incredibly rewarding experience. It offers athletes the chance to engage in physical activity, build confidence and develop skills in a supportive environment.”
Austin explained that playing competitive sports was thrilling because it pushed athletes to improve their performance and achieve personal goals. He said his favorite things about the team were having coaches who provided encouragement and guidance. “This enhanced the overall experience,” says Austin. For him, the Mustangs became his second family and the friendships he made created a sense of belonging and emotional support.
Nick Fleet said playing on the Mustangs was one of his favorite memories growing up. He explained, “I loved how competitive and exciting wheelchair sports were. It made me feel like a real athlete.” Nick values the long-lasting friendships he formed with the Mustangs, which have lasted for over 20 years.
Baseball
Everyone who knows me knows I am a huge baseball and Atlanta Braves fan. I have loved the Braves all my life. Baseball is the first sport I remember watching as a young child. My love of baseball comes from my grandmother. My Gran was one of my most important and influential people, and watching the Braves with her is my most cherished childhood memory. I was lucky enough to grow up in Atlanta in the 90s when the Braves were the most dominant team of the decade. Every night, my Gran and I would turn on TBS to hear Skip Carry and watch players like Greg Madox, Tom Glavine, Chipper Jones, and my favorite player, John Smoltz. The team was led by the best and most entertaining manager in baseball, Bobby Cox. My Gran taught me about players, batting averages, stats, and strategies. I will never forget watching the 1995 World Series with her and seeing the Braves give our city its first professional sports championship. Even though my Gran is no longer with us, watching baseball makes me feel close to her. I have enjoyed watching the current Braves with my friend Brooke. I will always love baseball because it gives me such priceless memories.
Football
My favorite sport will always be football. It is my favorite sport to play and watch. My family comes from Boston, so being a New England Patriots fan is part of my DNA. I love watching football with my family, especially my dad. My dad has tremendous knowledge of the game and has always shared his expertise with me. We were fortunate to see the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick era of Patriots football. It is one of the most dominant dynasties in sports history. For me, there was nothing better than my family coming together on Sundays to watch Tom Brady and the Pats do their jobs at an elite level week after week. We did not have too many friends in Atlanta when the Patriots beat the Falcons, but we had each other. My company, the Bobby Dodd Institute, recognized my love of the Patriots. In fact, board member Jim Terry, and the Bobby Dodd Institute Board got me an autographed Tom Brady football. It was one of the most special gifts I have ever received. My friend Scott suggested I create a fantasy league to expand my NFL knowledge. I am now the commissioner of a 12-team league, and we have lots of fun.
My love of football does not end with the NFL. I have always been a die-hard Georgia Bulldogs fan. I share my love of the Dawgs with my family and friends. The Southeastern Conference (SEC) football is one of the most entertaining sports to watch. The best part of Georgia football was listening to Larry Munson’s, “The Voice of the Dawgs,” call games on the radio. He would get so excited during broadcast that you would think he was playing himself. I love Georgia’s historic SEC rivalry games, including Tennessee, Auburn, Florida, and Alabama. Those are always my favorite. It was a moment of pure joy when Georgia finally defeated Alabama in the 2021 national championship. I was so happy to celebrate with everyone in the state. I have enjoyed seeing Georgia become one of the most successful programs in the SEC. Watching college football will always be one of my favorite pastimes.
Conclusion
Sports help me stay connected to all the people that I love. Watching sports with my family and friends was my favorite time growing up. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to play wheelchair sports with the Mustangs and make lasting relationships. My love of sports will always play a significant role in my life.
I’m Kylie Moore, from Roswell, Georgia, living with Cerebral Palsy. I’ve dedicated my career to advocating for the disability community, creating self-advocacy programs, and serving on boards. I founded the Ambassador Program at AADD, received the Tom Miller National Advocacy Award in 2020, and now advise Arts InCommunity. When not teaching, I can be found watching the Georgia Bulldogs or my beloved New England Patriots play football or participating in wheelchair sports.
