Deb and Ralph Armento
2017
Deb and Ralph Armento have been an integral part of the Adaptive Sports USA Family since 1989. Deb has coached various teams to include the Rolling Raiders and Katie’s Komets and was an active Board member for Tri-State Wheelchair and Ambulatory Sports and New Jersey Wheelchair Athletic Association. She was also a co-director of the Masons, Tri-State and Burke Rehabilitation Regional events as well as a certified Track and Field USA Official. Deb was on the Board of Adaptive Sports USA from 2011 to 2017, led the Junior Committee to support and guide Junior Nationals and Team USA’s presence at the International Wheelchair and Amputee World Junior Games. Debbie was also the Powerlifting Sport Technical Representative.
Ralph served in various essential roles with the national organization and local Tri-State region as well. He was the Chairman of the Board for Tri-State Wheelchair & Ambulatory Athletics serving the communities of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut; an Event Director; member of various local organizing committees and served as the Adaptive Sports USA Director of Office Operations for years.
Debbie and Ralph are as responsible for the survival of Wheelchair Sports USA as any two people in the history of the organization. During the very lean years during the early 2000’s recession, after the national office shuttered due to a lack of funds, Debbie and Ralph brought the organization into their living room, running the day-to-day business from their home. Ralph served as Office Manager and All Things Administration for Wheelchair Sports USA and its later incarnations, not once but twice after no one could be found to run the office on a shoe-string budget. The organization would not exist today in its current form were it not for the love and dedication of Ralph and Debbie Armento.