ODS Featured in Bethesda Magazine

Open Door Sports Inc. is featured in Bethesda Magazine’s January/February 2023 issue, with an article entitled “The Buddy System” by Amy Halpern.Halpern highlighted that “Open Door Sports aims to create an even playing field – and friendships – for kids with disabilities.”

This is the first article highlighting what ODS is all about and describes how Anderson Jones, an ODS player, had a more isolated social experience in school and a lack of after school sports programming prior to 6^th grade. That was when ODS was founded and provided a vehicle for Anderson – and many children like him to – to enroll in basketball and soccer after school programs with the help of one-on-one volunteer peer buddies. His main peer buddy through the years has been Jimmy, a friend since elementary school.

As outlined in the article, ODS Founder and Executive Director, Sarah Albus’s favorite part of ODS is the peer buddy component. The all-important relationship between the players and peer buddies provides support on the field and friendship – including being invited to birthday parties – off the field. “That was a thing I didn’t expect to be so powerful” says Albus.

Read the full article here Bethesda Magazine Jan/Feb 2023 Issue