UC Adaptive Athletics prepares for new season with three new recruits

Landyn Bomar, of Liberty Township, Ohio, joins the team with extensive experience in adaptive athletics from an early age. He was coached by Counts as a member of the Cincinnati Dragons wheelchair basketball team, played sled hockey for the Cincinnati Icebreakers and is a two-time Ohio High School Athletic Association seated shot put state champion.

Bomar said his connection with Counts and the ability to be in a familiar environment close to home helped him make the decision to come to UC, where he plans to study sports medicine.

“I’m excited to travel to the different colleges for track meets, but the best thing so far has been getting to know the team,” Bomar said. “I’ve known a few of them for a while, but I’m getting to know them all and making the most of those connections.”

A Lakota East graduate, Bomar plans to primarily compete in seated shot put.

“Competing is a lot of hard work, but in the end it pays off,” Bomar said. “I’m looking forward to being out there and being myself, setting new goals, new records.”

Josh Clayton, of Piqua, Ohio, is another Cincinnati Dragons alum who was part of the team’s National Wheelchair Basketball Association varsity national championship and undefeated season in 2021. 

“I started competing at the age of 10, and the experience for me has definitely been a great one,” he said. “I'm glad I was able to join so that way I could have a sense of people like me being around me and being understood.”

Clayton is studying sports administration at UC, with a long-term goal of becoming a general manager for a professional sports team.

“What really led me to make the decision to attend UC was being able to still be coached by Jake and having a school closer to home where I can still participate in an adaptive athletic program,” Clayton said. “I'm glad I made that decision.”

Eamon Castaldi comes to UC after winning national championships in the 100, 200 and 800 meters in the under 20, T53 class division as an adaptive track athlete at Grove City High School outside Columbus. He said competing has given him a community and sense of belonging and also serves as an academic motivator.

When he began his college search, there were no Ohio colleges with adaptive track teams, so Castaldi was looking at out-of-state colleges with higher tuition.

After Counts met Castaldi’s mom at a state track meet and let her know that UC was starting an adaptive athletics program, he eventually chose UC as a “perfect fit” for continuing his athletic career and studying sports administration.

Castaldi plans to compete in the 100-, 200-, 400- and 800-meter races and said being a Bearcat athlete has included more intensive training, including weight lifting.

“For the longer races, you’re working on your endurance and pacing yourself, whereas for the 100 and 200, you’re working on your speed and your starts,” he said. “Those are the big differences in the training that I’ve noticed.”

On the track, Castaldi’s goal is to qualify for The Hartford Nationals, and he also hopes to continue to form more relationships and grow the adaptive sports community.

“My ultimate goal is to put more adaptive sports programs like UC’s into colleges and universities in the state of Ohio, but I'm going to start with getting middle schoolers and high schoolers interested in adaptive athletics,” he said. 

Counts said the UC Adaptive Athletics program as a whole is also focusing on growing interest and opportunities in adaptive athletics through partnerships with The Bridge Adaptive Sports and Recreation, Cincinnati Icebreakers sled hockey, Cincinnati Dragons and the Cincinnati Tennis Foundation. The organizations came together last fall for the 4-Way Try Day, sponsored by Skyline Chili, where kids could try out adaptive pickleball, tennis, basketball and sled hockey.

“We're trying to stay pretty intertwined in the local adaptive sports scene and to keep those relationships and build them so UC is bringing something to the table,” he said.

“I'm really excited to keep our momentum as a program and in the community.”