Compete Magazine

Every July, Disability Pride Month celebrates the history, achievements, and contributions of people with disabilities. It is a time to recognize that disability is a natural part of the human experience and to reaffirm that people with disabilities deserve to be seen, respected, included, and empowered. For much of my life, I never imagined I would write an article like this. When I first heard the phrase Disability Pride, I wasn’t sure it applied to me.

In an industry built on relationships, sometimes the most meaningful connections happen in smaller rooms. That is the idea behind the Compete Fall Sports Business Retreat, taking place November 10–12, 2026, in Provo, Utah, hosted in partnership with Explore Utah Valley.

The selection of a host destination is one of the most important decisions a sports organization can make. A successful partnership between an event and a destination has the potential to create long term value for athletes, organizers, local communities, and tourism partners alike. That process often begins long before contracts are signed or venues are selected.

At its core, the grant is intended to help organizations plan, develop, and operate adaptive sports programs for disabled Veterans and members of the Armed Forces. Funding is not limited to a single aspect of programming—it’s built to support the full ecosystem required to run impactful initiatives. This includes everything from training and competition opportunities to equipment, program development, and athlete support systems.

Greensboro has long carried the moniker “Tournament Town,” a reference to its sustained history of hosting collegiate championships and major competitions. The Greensboro Coliseum, in particular, is widely associated with women’s basketball, having hosted more ACC Women’s Basketball championships than any other venue and serving as the spiritual home of the ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament. The city is also home to UNCG and Bennett College.

The Sunshine Cup returns to South Florida this weekend, marking its 15th year as one of the longest-running and most respected LGBTQ+ flag football tournaments in the country. Held over Presidents Day Weekend, February 14–15, the event brings teams, fans, and visitors to Fort Lauderdale, where competitive sport, community, and tourism intersect.

National Girls and Women in Sports Day is an opportunity not just to celebrate progress, but to recognize the individuals and organizations who have worked—often quietly and persistently—to expand access, visibility, and opportunity for women in sports. At Compete Sports Network, this day holds particular meaning.

Theater has the Tonys. TV has the Emmys. Film has the Oscars. And now, Sports For All™ has the Petey Awards™. On January 15th, the glamour and excitement of awards season came to the world of sports as athletes, fans, and organizations gathered at the iconic Flamingo Las Vegas to celebrate the very best in welcoming sports.

Fort Wayne was selected as the host city because of its long-standing commitment to adaptive and inclusive sport. The community has built a strong reputation for supporting adaptive athletes through intentional facility development, deep local partnerships, and a proven ability to host high-quality competitive events. Fort Wayne’s approach goes beyond accommodation—it reflects a genuine investment in creating environments where adaptive sports can thrive.

In May 2006, a bold idea took shape on a rugby pitch in New York City. At the Bingham Cup—gay rugby’s equivalent of the Rugby World Cup—we introduced the world to Sports Out Loud Magazine, the first and only gay sports magazine in existence at the time. With a simple but ambitious vision—“To Unite the World Through Sports”—we set out to tell the stories no one else was telling. Not the stories of celebrity athletes. Not the stories confined to box scores.