Sports equipment is usually designed around a standard or “average” body. For many para-athletes, that can mean adapting themselves to equipment that was never designed around the way they move, compete, or interact with their sport.

CADletics works the other way around.

We are a volunteer engineering initiative that designs and manufactures personalized sports equipment with para-athletes. An athlete tells us what is getting in the way: a grip that does not match their hand, a support that puts them in the wrong position, an attachment that is difficult to use independently, or simply a piece of equipment that does not exist for their needs.

From there, we work with the athlete to understand the problem, model a possible solution, build a prototype, test it, hear what worked and what did not, and revise the design. Often, the first version is only a starting point. The goal is to keep adjusting the equipment until it works naturally for the person who will actually use it.

Because the engineering work is volunteer-based, funding can go directly toward the practical parts of that process: materials, hardware, prototyping, manufacturing, and shipping.

We applied to the Awesome Disability Chapter to support another round of athlete-requested builds for para-athletes who may otherwise have difficulty accessing customized equipment. The grant helps move an idea from a conversation with an athlete to a physical piece of equipment they can test and use.

We also make designs open-source whenever possible. A solution developed through one project can become a useful starting point for another athlete or engineer working through a similar challenge.

One of the most important parts of CADletics is that the athlete remains involved throughout the process. Instead of beginning with a product and asking someone to adapt to it, we begin with the person and build from there.

To us, accessibility should not mean asking an athlete to make do with what is available. Sometimes it can mean changing the equipment instead.

What our grantee is saying: “Receiving this grant means a great deal to me and to CADletics. It will help us turn athlete-requested ideas into real equipment by supporting the materials, prototyping, hardware, and shipping that make individualized designs possible. More importantly, it gives us the opportunity to build around what athletes actually need rather than asking them to adapt to equipment that was not designed for them. I am incredibly grateful to the Awesome Disability community for believing in that mission.”