Posted on July 24, 2025
41st Junior Wheelchair Sports Camp to Empower Athletes and Inspire Community
It’s the highlight of the summer for dozens of kids and teens who take part in adaptive sports. Mary Free Bed’s Junior Wheelchair Sports Camp is making a return, celebrating 41 years of building friendships and offering athletic opportunities for kids.
The five-day camp, designed for youth with physical disabilities, is hosted by the Mary Free Bed Wheelchair and Adaptive Sports Program. It brings 7- to 18-year-olds from Michigan, Indiana and Ohio together for some friendly competition on Grand Valley State University’s campus. This camp fills up every year with more than 50 young people taking part.
Every camper comes with a different story and reason they use a wheelchair. Diagnoses include spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, and amputation. This program gives youth an opportunity to discover new interests without the financial commitment of purchasing their own equipment.
Junior Wheelchair Sports camp will feature 11 different sports this year – including basketball, cycling, dodgeball, field games, football, kayaking, lacrosse, sled hockey, softball, team handball and tennis. Highlights for campers and staff every year include the dodgeball tournament and the water fight with the Allendale Fire Department.
“Everyone involved in Junior Wheelchair sports camp looks forward to it all year,” said Maria Besta, who manages Mary Free Bed’s Recreational Therapy department and Wheelchair and Adaptive Sports Program. “This is an incredible opportunity for kids to try out new sports in a fun and safe environment. It really takes the whole community to make this a memorable event every summer.”
Camp is made possible with the help of several dozen volunteers, nurses, and instructors—many of whom use wheelchairs—who offer their time and energy to make this a memorable and fun experience for every participant. Many volunteers return year after year, including members of the Mary Free Bed Guild who provide and serve lunch daily.
ABOUT MARY FREE BED WHEELCHAIR AND ADAPTIVE SPORTS
Mary Free Bed Wheelchair and Adaptive Sports is one of the largest programs of its kind in the country. Every year, Mary Free Bed provides enriching recreational opportunities to hundreds of people with disabilities – last year it totaled over 1,700 participants. Athletes of all ages and abilities participated in over 40 different classes, clinics and teams – including wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, handcycling and wheelchair softball. Visit maryfreebed.com/sports for more information.
