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Hannah Smith, a wheelchair basketball player and advocate for adaptive sports who works for adaptive sports organization Sportable, will receive an ESPN Sports Humanitarian Award July 10 as a Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award honoree. The awards will be featured in studio programming and during the 2024 ESPY Awards, which will air live on ABC the following day at 8 p.m. ET.
Smith was born with Spina Bifida and was introduced to adaptive sports at the age of 11 through Sportable. Since then, she has become a competitive wheelchair basketball player and advocate for the promotion of adaptive sports globally. She also developed and launched Sportable’s inaugural wheelchair basketball camp and women’s wheelchair basketball clinic.
In 2019, Smith took part in the U.S. State Department-sponsored adaptive sports cultural exchange to Turkmenistan, where she was able to serve as a youth ambassador for the USA. She also is the founder of the See It, Be It storytelling project, which uses social media to highlight the diverse career aspirations of youth with disabilities and inspire young people to pursue their dreams.
"Hannah's dedication and passion for adaptive sports exemplify the true spirit of the Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award," said Hunter Leemon, Sportable's CEO. "Her leadership and advocacy not only inspire our athletes but also bring awareness and opportunities to the adaptive sports community on a global scale. We are incredibly proud of her achievements and honored to have her as part of the Sportable family."
The Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award celebrates and honors young people who are using the power of sport as a catalyst for change and making a positive impact on society.
