As the recipient of the 2023 Virginia AHPERD Adapted P.E. Teacher of the Year award, I am filled with immense gratitude and a renewed sense of purpose in my vocation. This accolade, a testament to the passion and dedication that drives my work, has been further sweetened by a generous gesture from US Games. Alongside the prestigious plaque and the cozy quarter-zip, I was presented with a $200 gift certificate to spend on equipment. This gift, more than just a token of recognition, empowers me to enhance the educational experiences of my students, providing them with new opportunities to grow and succeed in physical education. In this blog post, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to US Games for their support and delve into how their contribution is set to enrich the learning environment for my students.
Fun Gripper Tetherball

The Fun Gripper™ Tetherball is an excellent choice for introducing young children to the game of tetherball, offering a blend of fun and safety for gym or playground activities. Its unique design features a textured, grippy surface that provides enhanced control and a soft cushioning to reduce injury risks, making it ideal for little hands to strike and control the ball. The butyl bladder ensures air retention for consistent responsiveness throughout play. With its durable construction, the ball is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, offering versatile play options. The inclusion of an 8-foot nylon rope facilitates quick and easy setup, attaching effortlessly to a tetherball pole (not included). This product’s thoughtful design and colorful appearance make it a great tool for engaging the youngest players in physical activity, promoting hand-eye coordination, and instilling a love for sports from an early age.
Not quite as good as @LongviewAPE pendulum bowling from the rafters, but this is a nice mod for a bowling station 🎳 #AdaptedPE pic.twitter.com/2aKxPhG0WG
— 🦍 𐌑ąȶȶ ɃąґҠ𝟈ґ ⚽️🏀JustAdaptIt.com (@DigitTheAPE) February 29, 2024
HoopKlipz w/ Posts
HoopKlipz™ with Posts are innovative accessories designed to enhance the versatility and excitement of target games for students. These clips, featuring a unique C-shaped, ball-and-joint design, securely attach to vertical posts and accommodate standard or No-Kink™ hoops (not sold with the product). This design allows for easy rotation of the hoops to any angle, enabling educators to tailor the difficulty level of various games, such as soccer or Frisbee, to suit the skill levels of different players. The set includes two posts and two HoopKlipz™ clips, compatible with Multi-Dome® bases for stable setup. Available in blue and white, these clips and posts are an excellent tool for educators to create dynamic and challenging activities, helping students improve their aim and coordination in a fun, engaging way.

Push Up Training Mat

The Push-Up Training Mat by Poly Enterprises is a versatile tool designed to assist students in mastering the correct technique for push-ups. Made from durable polyvinyl with a foam center, it provides a comfortable and stable surface for exercise. The mat features vivid graphics and embossed instructions that guide users on proper hand and head placement, ensuring safe and effective workouts. Its colorful design aids in easy visual recognition, making it particularly beneficial for adapted physical education (PE) programs. This is because it helps students with varying abilities to understand and execute the exercise correctly, promoting inclusivity and physical development in a safe manner.
These resistance band especially are so great for teaching push ups to kids💪🏻🤓 #physed #adaptedpehttps://t.co/9Zp4sq1n9S pic.twitter.com/Siwl7mwsDD
— 🦍 𐌑ąȶȶ ɃąґҠ𝟈ґ ⚽️🏀JustAdaptIt.com (@DigitTheAPE) March 27, 2024
Task Tents (6-Pack)
The US Games Task Tents are a versatile and durable tool designed to enhance the organization and delivery of physical education programs. Made of strong vinyl, these tents are built to last and can be used year after year. They feature clear windows that can accommodate 8.5 x 11-inch sheets of paper, making them perfect for displaying custom task cards, station instructions, or educational content across various subjects. These multipurpose tents can be easily hung over cones to create activity stations, mounted on a wall for static displays, or linked together to form extended routine or word-wall displays. The set includes tents in six vibrant colors—blue, green, orange, purple, red, and yellow—allowing for easy organization and management of activities by color group. This flexibility makes the US Games Task Tents an essential asset for any physical education program, facilitating clear communication and efficient organization of exercises and learning stations.

Black Rubber Training Discus (1K)

The Black Rubber Discus-Practice 1.6K serves as an ideal introductory tool for middle and high school students learning the art of discus throw. Its affordable price point makes it accessible for educational programs to acquire multiple units, facilitating group training sessions and internal competitions. Constructed from durable hard rubber, this discus withstands repeated use, making it a reliable option for training inexperienced athletes. Coaches can effectively use this equipment to nurture potential talent, possibly uncovering hidden champions within their track and field units. Its practicality and resilience make it a valuable asset for any school’s physical education and athletic training programs.
In conclusion, the equipment I was able to acquire with the gift certificate from US Games will significantly enrich the adapted physical education program at our school. The varied selection of tools, each designed with specific educational and developmental goals in mind, will not only diversify our current offerings but also enhance the learning and engagement of my students. From the tactile stimulation and grip enhancement of the Fun Gripper™ Tetherball to the strategic and motor skills development facilitated by the HoopKlipz™, each item has been chosen to cater to the unique needs of students in adapted P.E. The Push-Up Training Mat and Task Tents will further ensure that students can safely and effectively learn new skills while fostering an inclusive, supportive, and fun learning environment. Overall, these resources from US Games are more than just equipment; they are investments in the physical and psychological well-being of my students, empowering them to achieve their full potential in physical education and beyond.
