Why an everyday wheelchair isn’t enough
An everyday wheelchair is built for getting through a day. A sport chair is built for the game. Juan Ortiz, a Wheelchair Softball Hall of Famer, plays pickleball in his PER4MAX basketball chair, which was built for contact. His next one will be built for pickleball, because the game needs a lighter chair that turns quick. Read Juan’s story.
Why insurance doesn’t pay
Insurance doesn’t cover a sport chair. The athlete or their family pays the full $4,000 to $6,000, or does without and doesn’t play.
The chair is the first cost, not the last
Once an athlete has a chair, they still need somewhere to play and a way to get there. Around Chicago, that looks like this:
- Court time: about $15 a night for a drop-in. $225 covers up to 15 athletes for a night.
- Training: $129 a month for a club membership, for athletes who train to compete.
- Tournaments: entry fees, travel and accessible rooms. A tournament trip runs about $1,000 an athlete; one athlete’s US Open has cost about $3,500 the last couple of years.
See how the numbers add up for the athletes we support on the numbers.
How donors close the gap
Gifts to the Hustle & Heart Fund pay for equipment, training and travel. We raise for equipment one athlete at a time, when an athlete needs it, and pay the vendor directly or reimburse an approved expense. Ambassadors like Juan tell the fund where it will do the most.
Businesses can sponsor a night of court time, a year of training, travel to tournaments, or a whole program. See how to sponsor an athlete.
If you’re an athlete looking for a chair
Grants and programs that help athletes get equipment are listed on Adaptive Sports Near Me, our free directory. You can also apply to the Hustle & Heart Fund.
