Midwest Adaptive Sports is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization focused on positively impacting the lives of those with physical, cognitive, emotional or behavioral challenges through adaptive recreational and competitive sports. Offering hope, encouragement and the ability to achieve, to people with wide range of abilities, MAS empowers athletes and enables them to grow physically, cognitively, socially, and emotionally. We are governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and depend on donations from individuals and groups who understand and support our mission.
Mission: To provide therapeutic recreational and competitive sports programs for individuals with disabilities. Our objective is to have fun, build independence, self-esteem, confidence, physical development and socialization. We strive to enhance active participation in all aspects of the community by promoting the concept of ability through integration, public awareness and education.
Vision: To empower individuals with physical, cognitive, emotional or behavioral challenges to positively impact their lives and provide the chance for those persons to gain independence, confidence and dignity through sports, recreation and competition.
Our Team
President
Stan Weston has been involved with adaptive sports for 15 years. He has a Bachelor of Science in Education from Missouri Western State University – St. Joseph, MO and is a member of the MWSU Athletic Hall of Fame. He also has a Masters Degree in Health, Physical Education & Recreation from Northwest Missouri State University. Stan retired from the St. Joseph, MO school district after 30 years of teaching Elementary PE. He coached High School Baseball for 30 years at Lafayette and Central High School and coached football for 20 years, softball for 5 years and girl’s basketball for 1 year. Stan started teaching at Snow Creek in 2002 and joined the adaptive program the following year. He has been with Midwest Adaptive Sports (MAS) since its inception in 2011 and has served as a board member and fundraising committee chair. He has obtained his Level I Adaptive certification with the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) and has over 100 hours of training at through the National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD).
Vice President
Kolton Kincaid has been involved with adaptive sports since 2017, and has become a very vocal advocate for the benefits they can provide. Since his election to the board in late 2019, he has served as Wheelchair Football Director, Treasurer, and his current role. He is excited to continue "helping to stimulate the growth and and recognition of adaptive sports across Kansas City and beyond".
He finished his undergraduate at Kansas State University in December of 2019, and is in the Human Resources field. In his spare time, Kolton enjoys spending time with his family, fishing, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair softball, wheelchair football, and monoskiing. Kolton is a member of Team USA Wheelchair Softball for the 2022 season.
Secretary
Jenny Karnes has served as the Secretary and Communications Director for Midwest Adaptive Sports (MAS) since its inception in 2011. She started working in adaptive sports 4 years prior to the founding of Midwest Adaptive Sports when she volunteered to take her students who are blind and visually impaired to learn how to ski. This experience ignited a lifelong passion for skiing, teaching and helping others. Jenny also loves to travel and spend time with her family and friends. She grew up in a military family and attended Radford University in Radford, Virginia where she received two degrees, one in Music Therapy and the other in German. Jenny is currently practicing music therapy and orientation and mobility instruction with students who are blind and visually impaired, is a swim instructor, and is a certified Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) level I adaptive, level 2 alpine, level 1 snowboard, children's specialist 1, and freestyle specialist level 1 ski instructor, teaching those with and without disabilities how to ski.
Board Member
Tom Sanders has been involved with adaptive sports for 20 years. He has been with Midwest Adaptive Sports (MAS) since its inception in 2011 and with the organizations that preceded MAS. He has served as a board member, instructor, trainer and Vice President. During his time with MAS, he has enjoyed adaptive snow sports, water skiing and hand cycling the most. Tom works as a wireless network technician and is the Director of Snow Creek Ski and Snowboard School in Weston, MO. When asked what he does in his free time, he states, “what free time?”
Board Member
Matt Bollig has been involved with adaptive sports for 6 years. He has been with Midwest Adaptive Sports (MAS) since August 2016 and has served as the Director of Wheelchair basketball and Youth Sports. During his time with MAS, he has enjoyed going to meetings and talking about/planning all of the ways to make Kansas City one of the most well known cities for adaptive recreation. Matt works in and spends his free time playing wheelchair basketball, hunting and working on grants and fundraising to build MAS into a bigger and better organization.
Board Member
John Teegarden has been involved with adaptive sports for 15 years. He has been with Midwest Adaptive Sports (MAS) since 2016 and has served as Director of Softball. During his time with MAS, he has enjoyed playing softball, basketball, football and helping out with the kids camps and fundraising events. John works in Olathe, KS and spends his free time at the gym and watching sports with friends and family. John is a three time member of Team USA Wheelchair Softball.
Board Member
Tom Knaus has been involved with adaptive sports since he was injured in 2004. He was an inaugural player on the University of Missouri Wheelchair Basketball Program. After graduation, he then moved to Kansas City and started playing multiple sports with Midwest Adaptive Sports. He has been with Midwest Adaptive Sports (MAS) since 2016 and has served as a board member, volunteer, rugby player, softball player, football player and basketball player. During his time with MAS, he has enjoyed watching all the wheelchair sports programs grow. Tom and his wife, Faith have twin boys. Tom works as an occupational therapist at Ability KC and spends his free time playing/planning adaptive sports and taking care of his family. His dream is to start a health clinic specifically for wheelchair users in Kansas City, with therapy, support groups, classes and wheelchair repair.
