Small Champions is an Eagle County, Colorado charitable organization that provides year-round sports and recreation programs for children with cognitive, physical, and multiple disabilities. We provide life enhancing programs to children with such diverse disabilities as Cerebral Palsy, Down syndrome, Blindness, Autism, and many other disabilities. Small Champions strives to introduce a wide variety of sports and recreation opportunities to each of its participants.
Small Champions provides an opportunity for these special children to be part of a group that meets often to enjoy sports and recreation, grow, learn, and have fun! Repeated assurance and positive experiences can help overcome the many challenges that these children face on a daily basis. The final outcome is a sense of accomplishment and belonging that comes from learning and participating in sports and recreation.
Small Champions aims to teach children with cognitive and physical disabilities to live vibrantly, focusing on their abilities, not their disabilities. Encouraging instructors and coaches are selected who are nurturing, supportive and kind. Our staff have the knowledge and passion to provide special opportunities that foster long-term growth for each Small Champion.
Mountain Recreation: We’re excited to partner with Mountain Recreation in Adaptive Rec to help provide even more exciting mountain activities.
We are thrilled to offer a variety of activities for our Summer Programming:
Small Champions attend a full day of fun for five days. This program is done in cooperation with the Vail Recreation District. Campers have a blast all day enjoying hiking, swimming, games, crafts and outdoor picnics under the guidance of fully trained VRD counselors.
We partner with Eagle Climbing and Fitness to provide Small Champions with 2 hours a week of expert instruction by the Eagle Climbing staff at their fabulous Eagle facility.
Small Champions gather at the Back Bowl in Eagle for a fun afternoon of bowling and pizza supervised by the Small Champions volunteer staff.
Small Champions ride the Lionshead Gondola to Eagles Nest for a full morning of adventure. Kids have unlimited access to all the excitement including the Alpine Slide, Ropes Course, Bungee Trampoline, Climbing Wall, Hiking Trails supervised by Small Champions volunteer staff.
We have partnered with both the Vail Golf Club and the Eagle Ranch Golf Club to provide professional one on one instruction for Small Champions.
Small Champions receive one on one instruction from our certified swimming coaches at Eagle-Vail, Avon Recreation Center, and Gypsum Recreation Center pools.
Small Champions receive one on one instruction from Kathy Mikolasy, a licensed horse therapist, at her beautiful ranch in Eagle, CO.
Our exciting Winter Programs include:
We partner with Eagle Climbing and Fitness to provide Small Champions with 2 hours a week of expert instruction by the Eagle Climbing staff at their fabulous Eagle facility.
This is where Small Champions began (in 1996) and it is still our most popular program. We partner with world famous Vail Resorts to provide Small Champions with one on one lessons with a trained and licensed Vail Adaptive Ski Instructor for 8 Sundays over the course of the winter. Small Champions become better skiers and boarders regardless of their disability while building self-confidence and self-esteem. Special adaptive equipment is provided at no cost. Small Champions enjoy lunch on the mountain with their friends and colleagues.