Dan Sullivan
1988
Dan Sullivan began his lifelong dedication to wheelchair sports in 1963 as a member of the New York Abilities Islanders team. Over the course of his competitive career, he excelled in track and field, table tennis, weightlifting, and basketball, participating in numerous regional competitions and in every National Wheelchair Games from 1963 through 1977.
Dan represented Team USA in three international competitions, contributing to the gold medal wheelchair basketball team at both the 1965 Stoke Mandeville Games and the 1967 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada. He also competed at the 1968 Paralympic Games in Tel Aviv, Israel, showcasing his versatility and commitment to excellence.
In 1967, Dan’s passion for mentorship led him to form and coach one of the nation’s first junior wheelchair sports teams at the Human Resources School, helping introduce young athletes with disabilities to competitive sport. After moving to Philadelphia in 1977, he founded the Philadelphia Spokesmen Wheelchair Basketball Team, which he coached and supported for the next 25 years.
Dan’s leadership extended beyond the court. He became a member of the Wheelchair Sports USA National Wheelchair Athletics Committee in 1986, where he played a pivotal role in guiding the organization’s transition to a membership-based structure with an elected board of directors. From 1977 to 1992, Dan also served as Treasurer of the National Wheelchair Athletic Association (NWAA) / Wheelchair Sports USA (WSUSA), ensuring sound stewardship during a period of major growth and change.
Through his decades of service as an athlete, coach, and administrator, Dan Sullivan helped shape the foundation of modern wheelchair sports. His leadership, mentorship, and tireless advocacy left an enduring legacy of opportunity and inclusion for future generations of athletes.