Juan Ortiz tosses the ball to serve from his sport wheelchair

Ambassadors

Bring the next athlete into the game.

Ambassadors are how the Hustle & Heart Fund builds with the community: athletes, coaches and connectors who grow adaptive sports where they live. Juan Ortiz is the first.

Meet our ambassadors Become one
Meet our ambassadors

It starts with a pioneer.

Our first ambassador

Juan Ortiz

Wheelchair Softball Hall of Famer. Got the APP Tour its first wheelchair division. Building wheelchair pickleball in Chicago.

“If an adaptive athlete wants to try a sport, that sport has to exist first.”

Read Juan’s story

Our next ambassador

Who’s next?

An athlete or coach growing a sport where they live, in any sport. If you know who it should be, tell us.

Tell us
What ambassadors do

More than a following.

Athlete ambassador

Welcome newcomers, show the sport, share the parts of your story you choose, and represent the community at events.

Coach or program builder

Lead sessions within your experience, support local staff, and help a host keep the sport going after the first day.

Community connector

Make the introductions that matter: schools, families, clinics, and programs, so people find a place to play.

These are ways in, not ranks. Nobody has to do all three.

How it works

A real role, with real support.

What you get

  • Hustle & Heart funding behind what you build, like court time, equipment and clinics, paid straight to the club or vendor.
  • A clear role and a named contact.
  • Travel and access support for the work we ask you to do.
  • Training, materials, and introductions.
  • Your own page on this site, if you want one.

What we ask

  • Show up for what you agree to.
  • Represent the community honestly.
  • Tell us about any paid brand relationships, so we can tell everyone else.

Any athlete can apply to the Hustle & Heart Fund, ambassador or not. And being an ambassador never depends on receiving a grant.

Become an ambassador

Who did you bring to the court?

We are growing this group a few people at a time. Tell us about yourself, or about someone who should be here.

Raise your hand