Sports & Athletics
Adapted Sports
- Category:
- Sports & Athletics
- Season:
- Fall, winter and spring
Gwinnett HEAT is the GCPS adapted sports program. It gives students with a physical impairment in grades 1–12 a chance to play team sports, with wheelchair handball, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair football across the school year.
What Adapted Sports is
- A GCPS program for students with a physical impairment, grades 1–12.
- Coed teams in fall wheelchair handball, winter wheelchair basketball and spring wheelchair football.
- A program that welcomes manual and power wheelchair users.
- A real team experience, with coaches, practice and games.
What Adapted Sports is not
- Not a GHSA varsity sport.
- Not limited to one school. It draws students from across GCPS.
- Not only for experienced athletes.
- Not the same as Special Olympics.
Who runs it
GCPS athletics runs Gwinnett HEAT. The program page has the contact for families.
Who coaches at your child's school is a school question. Ask the front office or the athletic director. GCPS Insider does not keep a live coach list and cannot tell you who the coach is. Please do not email us to find a coach, tryout date, practice time, fee, or roster.
Season at a glance (2026–27)
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | Wheelchair handball season. |
| Winter 2026–27 | Wheelchair basketball season. |
| Spring 2027 | Wheelchair football season. |
By grade
- Middle: Middle school students can join the program.
- High: High school students can join the program.
How the program works
- Gwinnett HEAT is the GCPS adapted sports program for students with a physical impairment. It is coed and open to students in grades 1–12.
- It is a member of the American Association of Adapted Sports Programs.
- The seasons are wheelchair handball in the fall, wheelchair basketball in the winter and wheelchair football in the spring.
- Manual and power wheelchair users can take part.
- Practices are usually one weeknight from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., with games on Saturdays.
- Eligibility, forms and placement are set by the program, not by GHSA high school rules. Ask the program what paperwork it needs.
Why families choose it
Many students with a physical impairment spend PE and recess watching. Adapted sports flip that. Students practice real skills, learn plays, travel to games and wear a team uniform. The point is confidence: kids who are used to being helped get to compete, lead and win. Because the program runs from grade 1 through grade 12, a child can grow up with the same teammates and coaches.
Before the first practice
- Talk with your child's case manager or physical therapist about which sport fits best right now.
- Ask the program whether a sports wheelchair is provided or whether your child should bring an everyday chair.
- Plan the weeknight drive. Practice is usually in the evening, and it is the same night every week.
- Ask whether family members can stay and watch practice.
Time and logistics
Practices are usually one weeknight from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., with Saturday games. Ask about location and transportation.
How Georgia scores it
Gwinnett HEAT plays in competition organized through the American Association of Adapted Sports Programs. A resume line should name the program, the sport, the years and any role or award, for example: Gwinnett HEAT wheelchair basketball, grades 7–12. College admissions readers and scholarship committees value multi-year commitment to a team, and adapted sports count the same way.
Who it tends to fit
- Good fit: a student who wants a team and can commit to weekly practice and Saturday games.
- Think twice: if transportation to practice is not workable.
How kids get on Adapted Sports
- Visit the GCPS Adapted Sports Program page and contact the program.
- Ask what paperwork is needed.
- Ask which sport is in season now.
- Ask about practice location.
Program details can change year to year. Confirm with the program before you plan around it.
Questions to ask the coach
- Which sport is in season now?
- Where and when do you practice?
- Can a beginner join mid-season?
- What does the program provide?
- What paperwork do we need?
- How do Saturday games work?
- Is there any cost?
- Can siblings or classmates help or watch?
Schools we have seen list Adapted Sports
Still verifying. We have not published a school-by-school list for this sport and we will not invent one. Browse the schools directory and check a school's own athletics page, and tell us what your school offers — that link is for adding a school, not for asking who the coach is.
Who coaches at your child's school is a school question. Ask the front office or the athletic director. GCPS Insider does not keep a live coach list and cannot tell you who the coach is. Please do not email us to find a coach, tryout date, practice time, fee, or roster.
What to do this week
Open the GCPS Adapted Sports Program page and reach out to the program.
Related: Basketball · Football