Alanna Flax-Clark

Alanna acquired her disability in her 20’s when she became very sick with the influenza virus. This led to a rare neurological condition that causes paralysis and progressive muscle weakness, contractures, spasticity, chronic pain, and a weaker immune system. It completely changed her life. Learning how to navigate the world again wasn’t easy, but adaptive sports became her outlet. Sports gave her back a sense of independence and purpose and increased her ability to function and maintain strength. 

One of the hardest parts for Alanna has been figuring out how to adapt equipment so she can participate without being able to use her hands to grip. It’s a challenge that never really goes away, but she’s learned to get creative and keep finding ways to make it work. 

Alanna shares, “Angel City Sports has been incredible through it all. They’ve supported me every step of the way and created a space where everyone, no matter their ability, is encouraged to get out there and play. Their belief that sports truly are for everyone has meant so much to me.” 

Alanna first heard about Angel City Sports when it was just getting started, but at the time she was living on the East Coast. There wasn’t much adaptive programming available where she lived, so she always followed along with what Angel City Sports was doing from afar. When she came back to LA, she was so excited to finally get involved. About a month after returning, a friend invited Alanna to an adaptive golf event where she had the chance to meet many of the people involved with Angel City Sports. After that, she couldn’t wait to do more. 

“Sports are incredibly important for people with disabilities because they provide so much more than just physical activity. Sports give us a sense of freedom, confidence, and community; these are things that can be hard to find after a life-changing injury or diagnosis. For me, sports have been a way to reconnect with my body, to feel strong and capable again, even if I move differently now. They’ve helped me set goals, push through challenges, and rediscover joy. I am more active and have participated in more sports since I acquired my disability, doing things I never imagined possible!” 

Alanna shares that with sports you also learn resilience, discipline, teamwork, and problem-solving, which are all qualities that directly translate to finding and succeeding in a job. Competing and training also help strengthen self-advocacy and communication skills, which are essential when navigating professional environments that aren’t always designed with accessibility in mind. 

For her, adaptive sports have been a huge part of rebuilding not only her strength but also her confidence in what she can contribute. They remind her that she can adapt, lead, and persevere, no matter the challenge. That mindset has helped her tremendously when pursuing opportunities and believing in her ability to thrive in any setting. 

After attending her first Angel City Sports event, she felt inspired, excited, and energized. This was the first new sport (golf) she had tried since retiring and selling her horse, after years of competing as an internationally competitive para-equestrian. At first, she hadn’t planned on getting involved in another sport, but trying golf through ACS completely changed that. Discovering how much she enjoyed it reignited her sense of curiosity and competitiveness. 

Her goal over the next few months is to continue improving her performance in her newfound sport, para fencing, with the aim of competing at her best at the next North American Cup in February 2026.  

 Angel City Sports plays a critical role in helping her achieve this goal, in particular when there are many barriers to participation. 

Transportation can be one of those barriers for people with disabilities to participate in adaptive sports. Many can’t just hop in a car and drive themselves to practice or events, and public transportation isn’t always accessible, reliable, or available near adaptive sports facilities. Paratransit services often require booking far in advance, can be unpredictable with timing, and make it hard to plan around training schedules. 

 For athletes who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices, transportation can also be expensive, especially if specialized vehicles or accessible rideshares are needed. Sometimes the effort it takes just to get to a venue can feel overwhelming, even before the workout begins. And when traveling to competitions or an event, flying adds another layer of stress. There’s always the fear that an airline might damage or lose your mobility device, which is not only costly but can leave you stranded and unable to move around independently. 

For Alanna, reliable transportation is key to being able to participate or train consistently and stay involved in the community. Without it, even the most motivated athlete can find it difficult to participate regularly in adaptive sports or reach their full potential. 

This GivingTuesday, Angel City Sports is excited to launch the “LIFT OFF” Athlete Travel Fund. The fund will support athletes like Alanna in their participation in adaptive sports through attendance at ACS’s Premier Events and their pursuit to compete in adaptive sports locally, regionally, and nationally when the cost of transportation is a barrier. 

“Having transportation support through a travel fund would make an incredible difference for me and for so many other adaptive athletes. Competing and attending events like those hosted by Angel City Sports are opportunities to grow, connect, and push our limits, but transportation costs and logistics can often be the biggest barriers standing in the way,” Alanna shares. 

For Alanna, reliable transportation means freedom and the ability to show up, train consistently, and represent the adaptive community with pride. It would remove so much of the stress that comes with trying to coordinate accessible travel, especially when specialized vehicles or assistance are needed. For athletes who fly to participate and compete, it would also ease the financial and emotional burden of protecting and repairing mobility equipment that’s often at risk of damage in transit. 

 This year, at her first National Championships, she earned a Silver Medal in Saber, which was a huge milestone and affirmation of her hard work. She also placed in the top 6 at a recent North American Cup in all three weapons – epee, foil, and saber. 

We are proud of Alanna and all that she is accomplishing. She fell in love with para fencing and we can’t wait to see where her talents and leadership in the adaptive sports movement take her. 

Support GivingTuesday – Give the Gift of Sport to support athletes like Alanna.