July 12-18, 2024
Move United, the national leader in community-based sports and recreation for individuals with disabilities, will return to Hoover/Birmingham, Alabama for the 2024 THE HARTFORD Nationals. The event will include adults as well as youth athletes with a physical, visual, and/or intellectual disability.
THE HARTFORD Nationals is the largest and longest-standing national sport championship event for athletes with a physical, visual, and/or intellectual disability. The 2024 event, scheduled for July 12-18, marks the 67th year of competition. Athletes must qualify to compete through one of more than two dozen local or regional Move United Sanctioned Competitions, a National Governing Body or High School Athletic Association sanctioned event, or other held across the country event approved by Move United.
With more than 400 athletes with disabilities and coaches expected to participate, the weeklong event includes competitions, clinics, education and social opportunities. The sports that will be contested include archery, para powerlifting, paratriathlon, shooting, swimming, track and field, and wheelchair tennis.
THANK YOU SPONSORS!
THANK YOU LOCAL HOSTS!
WIN AN EAGLE SPORTSCHAIR!
Our thanks to Barry Ewing for generously raffling off an Eagle Sportschair at THE HARTFORD Nationals – see details HERE!
Register for Nationals and sign up for national classification opportunities.
Learn about who is eligible to participate, sport rules, and qualifying standards.
Check out the schedule for the week , the event venues, and other general information about the event.
All Military Athletes receive FREE registration to Nationals!
Learn about local hotels and the great city of Hoover
We need you! Volunteer at Nationals!
Partners make this event possible. Learn about the range of sponsorship opportunities here
See previous media coverage of the event
Learn about vendor opportunities here.
Learn about how your city can host a future The Hartford Nationals.
Athlete results are posted here as well as information on awards given out at Nationals.
General eligibility requirements can be found online.
Please find hotel information on the Hotels & Host City page.
A meal plan will be published with the launch of registration on May 1, 2024.
Yes. Most hotels will offer a +/- rate of two days before the event starts and ends.
Please visit the “registration” page.
You must provide your own guide and guide vest. The guide should register under the Coach registration link and sign the waiver and code of conduct. The guide’s registration fee will be waived. If you cannot find a guide, please inform Jessie Cloy (jcloy@moveunitedsport.org) by the close of registration. The local organizing committee will do its best to assist you.
No. Although around twenty teams of various sizes attend Nationals, over two dozen independents are typically represented as well. We suggest independent athletes join forces with other independents as well as buddy up with the teams. Don’t be shy and ask if help is needed!
A coach is highly suggested. Registered coaches will have access to nightly coaches’ meetings to obtain information as well as event specific heat sheets. Your parent may register as a coach to gain access to these meetings.
If you have a physical impairment and you have not yet been nationally classified or you need to be seen again in classification, then you MUST make an appointment. Athletes with a visual impairment or intellectual impairment must be classified prior to attending Nationals. For more information scroll to the bottom of the Eligibility page.
On most occasions, yes. Please note the sport specific needs:
Yes, equipment storage is available for track and field. Anything stored onsite is stored at your own risk.
Medical staff, emergency services, and/or first aid will be available at the venues during all scheduled hours of competition. Additionally, the nearest medical facility to the host hotel and competition venues will be identified.
Heat sheets will be given out at the coaches’ meetings to those with a coach credential. The heat sheets will provide starting times, order of heats, and listing of all athletes within each heat.
Results will be posted as soon as possible at each sport venue and at the host hotel as well as on the Move United website.
Updates and announcements will be provided via a free event app available to all participants.
Updates, images and other content will also be provided during the event via social media. Please follow us on social media and share with your friends!
Facebook – @MoveUnitedSports
Twitter – @MoveUnitedSport
Instagram – @MoveUnitedSport
YouTube – @MoveUnited
LinkedIn – @MoveUnited
Every donation counts!
Would you like to support The Hartford Nationals with an individual gift of any size? Please make a secure online tax deductible donation here:
An emergency plan will be circulated via email to each registrant one week prior, on the free event app and discussed at the orientations and coaches meetings.
Weather announcements will be posted on the event app. If severe weather happens during a competition, an announcement will be made and the emergency plan will be followed.
Local Sponsorship Info
Kelly Peoples, City of Hoover
kelly.peoples@hooveralabama.gov
Eligibility, Sports-Specific Info, and Registration
Jessie Cloy, Competition Manager
240-268-5380, jcloy@moveunitedsport.org
National Sponsorship Info
Dave Simonson, Development Director
301-217-9837, dsimonson@moveunitedsport.org
Media Relations
Shuan Butcher, Communications Manager
240-268-2180, sbutcher@moveunitedsport.org
Volunteer Oversight
Amy Belcher
amybel@lakeshore.org