Veterans First: Athletes gear up for 2024 National Veterans Wheelchair Games

Agility, strength, versatility, and determination are attributes Army Veteran Lloyd Thomas, who prefers to go by the nickname “Misfit,” strives to instill in his daily routine. The three-time world medalist in pickleball has the hardware to prove it, but action on Thomas’s pickleball court might be a little different than yours.

He glides through the “kitchen” on four wheels as he and his fellow veterans gear up for the 2024 National Veterans Wheelchair Games, but it is not just pickleball where these veterans show off their skills.

“It is now the world’s largest adaptive sports program for disabled veterans, and this year we’ll have more than 600 veterans coming into New Orleans with over 23 events,” Organizational Chair of the 43rd National Veterans Wheelchair Games Christina Bordelon said.

However, before hitting the courts, they must hit the weights. Navy Veteran Jerone Dabon said this gym at the VA Hospital is where they put in the work, going through reps, to become the best they can be.