The funds raised to support the Paralympics was in excess of what was needed and it was determined that OPAAF should continue its mission. Julie Gaydos was already a key member of the National Office staff and was appointed as the first executive director of the organization. OPAAF initially shared offices with AOPA, The Academy, and ABC while these sister organizations were still operating as the O&P National Office. Around this same time the organization became better known as OPAF, without the second A. OPAF began working on amputee gait training with two well-known Paralympic athletes, Dennis Oehler and Todd Schaffhauser. Dennis and Todd began hosting clinics and events across the country. They also partnered with the National Amputee Golf Association and together hosted First Swing Learn to Golf Clinics, aimed at educating therapists and clinicians in adaptive golf and the importance of adaptive recreation.

In the early 2000s, Jeff Reznick, Ph.D was hired with the hope that he could assist with major fundraising efforts. Jeff had a proven track record of securing grant funding, and the hope was that he could continue with that same success in grant writing for OPAF. OPAF also moved into their own offices in Washington D.C. They were successful in supporting an arts program through the Children’s Hospital of Washington, but because of HIPAA regulations the children could not be featured to help gain support. In the spring of 2005 Jeff Reznick accepted another leadership position in Washington at Walter Reed Army Hospital and The OPAF board of directors hired Robin Burton as Executive Director in May of 2005.

Robin had been within the O&P community for over 20 years at that point, as the wife of Michael Burton and was very familiar with the industry and the profession. The task put before Robin was to figure out a way to save OPAF, or to shut it down and forward remaining reserves to another nonprofit organization. OPAF needed to provide the O & P community with a business plan that seemed reasonable and programming that was their own and they could get excited about and behind financially. OPAF cut costs by terminating its lease in DC and having Robin in a work from home office setting. The board discussed several ideas and determined that rather than having elite Paralympic athletes as their focus, OPAF would instead direct their efforts to the anyone with a physical or mobility challenge and offer adaptive recreation at an introductory level.

Robin approached a family friend, Darren Kindred, who was a USTA tennis professional with an idea. With Darren’s expertise, along with underwriting from Prince Sports, First Volley Adaptive Tennis was launched in August of 2005. Darren, as a tennis teaching professional with the Washington Crossing Racquet Club had a student who was a quadrilateral amputee and wanted to play tennis. Wheelchair tennis was not an option, so Darren began working with Dana on adaptive skills and drills that she could find success and move forward. Darren and Robin decided to take this same approach with First Volley and with advertising support from the Amputee Coalition of America began with two clinics in 2005 and five in 2006. In 2006, the United States Tennis Association became aware of First Volley as OPAF was appealing to a previously underserved population.

The USTA provided grant funding and promotional support that allowed First Volley to begin operating from coast-to-coast. In 2007 First Volley and OPAF were named the USTA National Adaptive Tennis Program of the Year and accolades continued across USTA sections and instructors were added. OPAF saw the need to have additional instructors, but had to find a way to only use the best-of-the best. Darren Kindred was named as the Director of the program and developed standards for First Volley instructors and launched a certification program for instructors. Only instructors certified by Darren would be allowed to lead clinics. By 2015, there were ten certified First Volley instructors across the nation, including San Diego, Denver, Pennsylvania, and the Carolinas. Clinics were held and therapists were invited to participate and increase their knowledge of adaptive recreation and movement for those facing physical or mobility challenges and chose not to play in the wheelchair. Those in wheelchairs were always welcome to participate in the events, but were not the primary target audience.

 Based upon the success of First Volley, our next clinic was First Swim. This was started with the assistance of Lauren Mcvey-Harsch. Lauren was an accomplished swimmer in the Atlantic City region and had important coaching contacts who assisted. Water is the great equalizer with the physically challenged population as they do not have to concern themselves with balance and the buoyancy factor is very forgiving. As First Swim grew, we recruited Jason Wening, CPO and three-time Paralympic swim champion to be the first Director of First Swim. First Swim is now under the direction of World Champion Para Triathlete, Mabio Costa.

Each of these organizations still supports OPAF through both financial and in-kind support.