Washington, D.C., May 28, 2019 – Non-profit World T.E.A.M.’s inclusive Adventure Team Challenge Washington D.C. returns to the Capital Region June 1. It will welcome young athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) for a day of challenging outdoor sports activities.

Partnering with Best Buddies Capital Region, the program teams adaptive with able-bodied athletes to cycle, hike and canoe at the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park.

Since the inaugural 2011 Challenge, nearly 150 teenage adaptive and able-bodied athletes from the Capital Region have participated in the adventure sports program. Close cooperation and support are critical to the success of a team, as every participant must complete each stage to move on the next.

For many athletes, actively participating in the Challenge provides their initial opportunity to ride a bicycle, paddle a canoe or to explore a narrow dirt pathway. These outdoor experiences encourage the athlete to seek out future sporting adventures with family members and with other outdoor programs, as well as inspiring other adaptive athletes to become physically active.

For the Buddy participant pairs, this type of challenge delivers a unique bonding experience that lasts well beyond the finish. Through cycling, paddling and hiking together, they further develop a meaningful connection that supports their one-to-one paired friendship during the school year.

The Challenge was created as a result of success of similar World T.E.A.M. inclusive team programs for adaptive and able-bodied athletes in Colorado’s high Gore Range, and in New York’s Catskill Mountains. The success of these programs encouraged the development of an urban program in the Capital Region to encourage similar cooperative and supportive relationships between athletes.

“We are excited to bring back this amazing event on June 1^st, partnering with Best Buddies. Both our organizations have similar goals and aligning missions,” said World T.E.A.M. CEO and President, Jon Brideau. “This event provides a great way for the participants to connect with their peers, while accomplishing the challenge. I cannot wait to meet our athletes on Saturday!”

Athletes for the 2019 Challenge are selected by Best Buddies Capital Region. The national non-profit serves individuals with Down syndrome, autism, Fragile X, Williams syndrome, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury and other undiagnosed disabilities. Additional program support is provided by SUBWAY of the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

About Best Buddies

Best Buddies International is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

About World T.E.A.M.

World T.E.A.M. brings adaptive and able-bodied athletes together by empowering, enabling and engaging individuals through inclusive athletic programs. For more than a quarter century, our organization has used athletics to challenge men, women and children with disabilities to accomplish goals they never thought possible. In all our programs – whether mountain climbing, biking, white water rafting or many other sports – we include both adaptive and able-bodied participants.