Veterans Become Coaches at Adaptive Sports Festival in Mykolaiv

In Mykolaiv on October 29, the Nadiia sports school hosted an adaptive sports festival. Participants explored different sports and tried activities that were new to them, with veterans who had already completed their recovery journeys serving as coaches and instructors.

The festival brought together:

• veterans;
• their family members;
• social services and rehabilitation professionals;
• local government representatives;
• representatives of civil society organizations.

The program gave participants a chance to learn about different adaptive sports and test their skills in:

• wheelchair basketball;
• jiu-jitsu;
• pickleball;
• archery;
• boccia.

Veteran instructors shared their personal experiences and showed by example how sports can support physical rehabilitation, psychological recovery, and a return to an active life.

Participants talked with coaches and learned about the specifics of each sport. The festival offered more than just an opportunity to get physically active: it also provided new ways to connect and interact socially. Participants could also choose a sport to pursue in the future.

The following organizations helped prepare and run the festival:

• Mykolaiv City Center for Supporting War Veterans — event initiator;
• Department for Veterans of War of the Mykolaiv City Council — supported the festival;
• international organization Project HOPE — organized the event together with the civil society organization Free Warriors;
• civil society organization Free Warriors — festival co-organizer.

Project HOPE believes that events like this will help expand adaptive sports in Mykolaiv. The organization also expects the festivals to broaden opportunities for veterans’ physical and social rehabilitation and help them take a more active part in community life.

Source: Mykolaiv City Council.

We also wrote:

• Veterans with disabilities held their first joint adaptive training session in Mykolaiv
• New boats for “Olymp”: Korabelnyi District project wins youth budget funding
• The road to rehabilitation: adaptive sports groups operate at a pool in Korabelnyi District
• Now war veterans and children with autism are also invited to Mykolaiv sports schools
• ATO veterans invited to the “Warrior’s Heart” training session