Two of Team USA’s most decorated Paralympic champions, with multiple medals and three golds between them, spent the past week in Armenia leading wheelchair basketball masterclasses, clinics, and a public demonstration game for young athletes and people with disabilities, an effort aimed at promoting accessibility and inclusion through sport.
Rose Hollermann, a four-time Paralympian and multiple medalist for Team USA known for inspiring young athletes through adaptive sports, and Steve Serio, a five-time Paralympian, three-time gold medalist, and Team USA’s flag bearer at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, traveled to Armenia from June 15 to 17 through the State Department’s Sports Envoy Program, administered by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The visit was presented as part of Freedom 250, the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan’s year-long celebration marking the 250th anniversary of American independence.
Across Yerevan and Gyumri, Hollermann and Serio led masterclasses, skills workshops, and community events with Armenian youth and athletes with disabilities, training alongside them and taking part in an exhibition match. The program concluded with a public demonstration game at Yerevan’s Freedom Square on June 17.
For Hollermann, the mission went well beyond the court. “The goal of the Sports Envoy Program is to build connections and raise awareness about accessibility in sports,” she told reporters. “People often think that having a disability means the end of life as they know it, but it simply means adapting life differently. We are working to make the world more accessible for everyone.”
U.S. Embassy Cultural Attaché Nathan Austin echoed that message. “Sports have a unique power to bring people together, break down barriers, and inspire the next generation,” he said. “Rose and Steve embody the best of American excellence and resilience. We are proud to welcome them to Armenia and to share their stories with Armenian youth and athletes.”
Local officials tied the visit to a broader push on disability inclusion. Arsen Makvetsyan, head of Yerevan Municipality’s Sports and Youth Affairs Department, said the city continues to prioritize issues affecting people with disabilities. “Our goal is to expand the scale of such tournaments,” he said. “This is not the first time Yerevan Municipality has supported the organization of similar events.”
The program was organized in cooperation with the Armenian Wheelchair Basketball Federation, led by Hovhannes Khzmalyan, along with the Yerevan Municipality, AYB School, Shengavit Sports Center, Shirak State University, and other partner organizations. A parallel initiative was held in Gyumri, extending the program beyond the capital.
The State Department’s Sports Envoy Program sends American athletes and coaches abroad to share their expertise and connect with communities worldwide. For the young Armenian athletes who trained with them, the visit offered a rare chance to learn from some of the world’s best.
