The Triumph Foundation, a Santa Clarita nonprofit, is set to host their ninth annual Wheelchair Sports Festival in April at the Santa Clarita Sports Complex, officials said.

The Wheelchair Sports Festival is a free two-day sporting event open to the public scheduled for April 25 and 26, which features 15 adaptive recreational activities, according to event organizers.

The event is set to include wheelchair hockey, basketball, rugby (a.k.a. murderball), racquetball, baseball, hand cycling, SCUBA, curling, track and field, wheelchair skating (WCMX), dance, yoga, art workshop, self-defense and a wheelchair obstacle course.

Additionally, a Resource Fair featuring informational booths and exhibitors is set to be open throughout the festival.

The festival is expected to attract over 1,000 participants, spectators and volunteers, according to officials with the organization.

“The best part is that everyone gets to participate,” said Andrew Skinner, founder of Triumph Foundation, in a previous KHTS article. “It doesn’t matter if you’re on a team or if you have the equipment or if you have a disability. Everyone who comes is able to enjoy the games together.”

The Wheelchair Sports Festival is part of the Paralympic Gateway to Gold, a talent identification program that introduces paralympic-eligible athletes to sports, acts as a pipeline to competition, and is often the first step toward the podium representing the U.S. Paralympic Team.

Every year, Triumph Foundation has presented this sporting event for individuals with disabilities to engage with others and provide a learning opportunity to the public about those living with spinal cord injuries.

“This is Triumph’s major event of the year giving, people with disabilities a chance to push the limits of their ability (and) play games with friends and family on a level playing ground. And (it) enhances their quality of life through the benefit of exercise, sports and fitness,” Skinner said.

The foundation focuses on those affected by Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) that cause paralysis by reaching out to a diverse group of children, adults and veterans.

Skinner decided to launch the nonprofit in August 2008 after he made tremendous strides in his own recovery from SCI disability.

Skinner was injured on Nov. 26, 2004, in a snowboarding accident while on vacation in Lake Arrowhead.

He fell and broke three parts of his C-Spine in his neck, suffering an SCI, and was instantly paralyzed from the neck down.

Since his injury, he has gone through several surgeries and numerous physical therapy sessions, which helped him surpass doctors’ initial projections.

After making unexpected milestones in recovery through the help of physical therapy trainers and exercise physiologists, he decided to do something to give back to the SCI community.

The organization to date has brought assistance to SCI patients in the form of grants, home remodels, care baskets and hospital visits. It has also provided accessible vehicles to individuals throughout Southern California.

The festival is set to take place at the Santa Clarita Sports Complex on Saturday, April 25 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, April 26 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Santa Clarita Sports Complex is located at 20870 Centre Pointe Parkway.

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.