Disability Celebration Month: Empowering athletes and transforming lives

In March, San Diego State University commemorates Disability Celebration Month, which uplifts those with disabilities and aims to recognize and promote disability culture and inclusion. 

Committed to making a meaningful impact in the lives of students with disabilities, SDSU was the first California university to develop an Adapted Athletics program designed to support student-athletes with physical disabilities. 

The SDSU Adapted Athletics Program, a program of Associated Students, creates a support network to prepare and develop athletes for excellence in their personal, professional, and athletic lives. Since its inception in 2018, the program has worked to remove barriers for adaptive athletes to access higher education at SDSU, improve access to adaptive equipment, facilities, and quality training on campus, and integrate the greater San Diego adapted sports community. 

At the heart of the program’s mission is SDSU alumnus A.J. Munoz-Bond (‘19, ‘21). As the Director of Adapted Athletics, Munoz-Bond has been instrumental in expanding the program’s reach and impact. 

Starting as a student-athletic trainer at his community college, Munoz-Bond  was introduced to adapted athletics as a student at SDSU. An experience that would change his life forever. 

Light-Bulb Moment 

After transferring to SDSU in the fall of 2017, Munoz-Bond pursued strength and conditioning as his primary career goal. During his time at SDSU, he was introduced to a student organization on campus called Aztec Adaptive Sports.

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“That moment was life-changing for me as I realized I wanted to dedicate my time, energy, and one-day expertise to this field,” said Munoz-Bond. “Over the next year, I completed my studies but kept my ear to the ground for an opportunity to break into the adapted sports space.” 

That opportunity finally came in the summer of 2019, when Munoz-Bond met former Paralympian and SDSU alumnus Ahkeel Whitehead (‘17), who founded the SDSU Adapted Athletics Program in 2018. Whitehead not only welcomed Munoz-Bond into the program but also showed him how impactful this work can be. 

Munoz-Bond volunteered his time as a strength coach and helped build the strength and conditioning side of Adapted Athletics through independent study under Antoinette Domingo.

“SDSU is more than purely an academic institution,” said Munoz-Bond. “Gaining an understanding of the profession I was aiming for through so many lenses is what set me up for success more than any textbook ever could.” 

Over the next five years, Munoz-Bond gained hands-on experience building the program, supporting athletes’ development, and advocating for their success. In 2023, he took over as the second-ever director of the program. Being the director and only full-time staff member, Munoz-Bond has taken on a lot of responsibility, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. 

“The opportunity I get in this space to illustrate what this movement can do is pure magic,” said Munoz-Bond. “My passion in this space is really to teach, and I am grateful for this program and the movement for giving me the opportunity to do so every day.”

Now, Munoz-Bond hopes to create that same lightbulb moment for others. By educating those in the community about the world of adapted sports, he hopes it provides an opportunity for people to learn about adapted sports and its importance in our community. 

All About Community 

While the program has two flagship sports, para track and field and wheelchair tennis, the program goes above and beyond to support athletes who compete in other sports, such as para surfing and para-swimming. 

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The program organizes various events to engage the community, including its fall fundraiser, Lift-A-Thon, and actively supports its athletes by celebrating Disability Celebration Month.

“Disability Celebration Month here at SDSU means our community has an opportunity to be center stage when too often we are left behind the scenes,” said Munoz-Bond. “This month is more than about adapted sports, and it is about all those in the community who identify as part of the vast spectrum of disabilities out there.”

To celebrate Disability Celebration Month, Adapted Athletics will be hosting a spring showcase on March 14. This event is designed to provide an opportunity for those on campus and the San Diego community to experience the stories and witness the true strength of our athletes and the adaptive community they are a part of. 

“I have dedicated my life to this community and am so proud to know that SDSU has taken intentional steps to highlight one of the best communities that make up our diverse ecosystem here on campus,” said Munoz-Bond.

This event, along with others, is an excellent way for alumni to get involved and show their support. 

“The SDSU Alumni community is the life and blood of any program like ours on campus,” said Munoz-Bond. “We are in great need of this group to come to our events and learn more about the impactful work we do to support the adaptive community.” 

Other ways alumni can get involved include joining their semiannual newsletter, supporting student-athlete scholarships, helping provide competition expenses for our athletes, and donating to help the program grow and develop to bring on new sports and more athletes. 

To support and learn more about the SDSU Adapted Athletics Program, please visit arc.sdsu.edu/adaptedathletics.