Adaptive Sports Foundation snowboarders Zach Elder (left) and Charlie Kleiman accept unification award on behalf of the ASF
COPPER, COLORADO (April 7, 2025) — In a historic milestone for adaptive snow sports, the United States of America Snowboard and Freeski Association (USASA) has officially unified its Adaptive Kekoa Class into the national competition structure. In recognition of the Adaptive Sports Foundation’s (ASF) pioneering role in the creation and development of the Kekoa Class, USASA presented a special award to the ASF just ahead of its National Championships.
The award was accepted on behalf of the ASF by original Kekoa Class athletes Zach Elder and Charlie Kleiman, along with ASF Head Snowboard Coach Frank Cabrera.
This celebration marks more than fifteen years of progress in advancing inclusivity in snowboarding and skiing. The Kekoa Class was born out of a simple but transformative question posed in the mid-2000s by ASF board member Meghan Hughes, then volunteering as a snowboard instructor: Would USASA consider including adaptive athletes in its events? With the support of Bob Basil of the USASA Catskill Mountain Series, the answer was a resounding yes.
That moment led to Elder’s debut at his first USASA event, a turning point that sparked the creation of a new pathway for adaptive athletes in competitive snow sports. Since then, ASF athletes have earned countless medals at USASA competitions, breaking down barriers and demonstrating the powerful impact of inclusion.
“Many years ago, this woman — Megan Hughes — asked me to consider allowing a neurodivergent athlete into USASA competition. That athlete was Zach Elder. What started as a question has now become a fully unified competition class. This is happening for the first time in our organization’s history,” said Basil, USASA Catskill Mountain Series Director. “We are unified, and it is official.”
“I’d like to say thank you to USASA for providing a venue for these athletes to show their skills and love of snowboarding,” added Cabrera. “It’s not just the staff, but every USASA competitor is so supportive of our adaptive athletes, so thank you.”
“Seeing the Kekoa Class fully integrated into USASA’s national program is a moment of pride for our entire community,” said John Iannelli, Executive Director of the ASF. “It’s the culmination of years of effort by athletes, coaches, families, and visionaries who believed that adaptive athletes belong on the national stage.”
The ASF remains committed to empowering lives through adaptive sports and ensuring that athletes of all abilities have opportunities to thrive in competitive environments.
About the Adaptive Sports Foundation
For over forty years the ASF has been providing sports and recreation opportunities to thousands in the disabled community. Since then, it has grown into what it is today, an organization that provides year-round services out of its own slope-side lodge, the Gwen Allard Adaptive Sports Center. All this has been accomplished over the years thanks to many donors and an impressive legion of volunteers, who can be seen in their iconic green jackets sliding down the snow-white slopes.
The Adaptive Sports Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides profound and life-changing experiences for children and adults with physical disabilities, cognitive disabilities and chronic illnesses through outdoor physical activity, education, support, and community. For more information about the Adaptive Sports Foundation please visit adaptivesportsfoundation.org.
