Sports equipment is usually made for an “average” body. For many para-athletes, that means adapting themselves to equipment that was never designed with them in mind.

CADletics works the other way around.

We are a worldwide community of volunteer engineers who design and manufacture 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 body. One of our engineers works with them to model a solution, print it, hear what worked and what did not, and revise it.

We have now equipped more than 1,290 athletes, printed over 21,400 parts, and created 168 open-source designs. Our team includes 26 volunteer engineers across 11 countries. Because the engineering work is donated, relatively small amounts of money can go a surprisingly long way.

We are applying to the Awesome Disability Chapter to fund the next round of athlete-requested builds for para-athletes who would otherwise have to pay for custom equipment themselves or go without it. The grant would cover the materials, hardware, repeated prototypes, and shipping needed to take designs from an athlete's request to something they can actually use.

We also make designs open-source whenever possible. A solution developed with one athlete can become a starting point for another athlete across the country, or across the world, who has been running into the same problem.

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 allow us to turn more athlete-requested ideas into real equipment by covering the materials, prototyping, hardware, and shipping that make individualized designs possible. More importantly, it means more para-athletes will be able to use equipment designed around their bodies and needs rather than having to adapt themselves to what already exists. I am incredibly grateful to the Awesome Disability community for believing in that mission.”