Bryson Dowdy
"I would play every day, if I could. Sports play a big role in my life, and I would like to volunteer as an adaptive sports coach at some point in my life, to help other kids, like me, learn the joy of adaptive sports." - Bryson Dowdy
Bryson Dowdy discovered his passion for adaptive sports at age three when his family took him to every activity they could find in their West Virginia community. When no sled hockey team existed nearby, his determined family started one just two years later so he could play the sport he loved.
As a versatile athlete, Dowdy has competed in tennis, track and field, sled hockey, basketball, surfing, archery, golf, and biking. He made history as the first seated athlete in middle school track and field in West Virginia and earned recognition as the Dick's Sporting Goods Junior Starter at a Pittsburgh Penguins hockey game in 2019.
When his family relocated to Surfside Beach, South Carolina four years ago, Dowdy transitioned from sled hockey to wheelchair basketball with the Coastal Chairmen Wheelchair Basketball Team. As the youngest player on the adult team, affectionately called the "young'un," he values the mentorship and understanding his teammates provide.
Beyond athletics, Dowdy serves as a member of the Air Force JROTC at his high school, where he is the only wheelchair user in his squad. The program has strengthened his confidence and leadership skills, preparing him for his goal of coaching adaptive sports and inspiring other young athletes to discover the transformative power of sport.
Dowdy's journey demonstrates how adaptive sports create pathways to excellence, leadership, and community connection for athletes of all abilities.
Sports
- Tennis/Wheelchair Tennis,
- Basketball/Wheelchair Basketball,
- Sled Hockey,
- Track and Field
City
- Charleston
