About

The Sports Enablement Foundation provides support and creates an encouraging community for people with disabilities. SEF provides them with the funding, equipment, training, and opportunities to enable them to participate in sporting events that they would otherwise not be able to do on their own.

The foundation raises money from grants, donations, and other sources to fund these activities. SEF also provides grants to assist those in need of funds and equipment in order to participate. SEF currently focuses its efforts on increasing participation in adaptive surfing in order to get it included in the 2028 Paralympics in conjunction with the International Surfing Association (ISA).

Our Mission

1
To provide people with disabilities the opportunity to experience a higher quality of life by participating in recreational and competitive sports. SEF provides assistance to all disadvantaged individuals of all ages, genders, races, and economic groups.
2
To increase the participation of adaptive athletes from the US and Internationally to compete in a worldwide arena.
3
To qualify adaptive surfing as an official event in the 2028 Paralympics competition in Los Angeles, CA.

About the Founders

Jay LaFrance

Born in Texas, Jay LaFrance has an extensive background in technology and business. He graduated from Brigham Young University in Electrical Engineer and Computer science. As a member of Casey Proud’s extended family, Jay saw Casey’s passion and the joy in the faces of adaptive surfing’s participants and wanted to help by using his extensive business experience. As a serial entrepreneur with over 30 years of professional experience he helps the C-Level maximize stakeholder value in fast growing companies. Extensive experience in AI & advanced technology, management, sales, marketing, business development, mergers and acquisitions. With a strong entrepreneurial attitude and the ability to create a vision and motivate peers, subordinates and partners by conveying that vision.

Casey Proud

Born and raised in Honolulu, Casey Proud is a paraplegic prone surfer competing against the world’s best adaptive surfers. Casey was injured in a snowboarding accident in 2017 and thought he might never surf again…however, thanks to his wife’s encouragement and the adaptive surfing community, now he lives to ride waves and spread aloha once again. Less than a year ago in June 2021, Casey began competing in adaptive surfing events, placing 2nd in his first ever competition, the US National Championships. This year, he’ll be surfing for the world title on the newly formed Adaptive Surfing World Tour for its inaugural year in 2022. Now living in Oceanside, CA, Casey can be found shredding waves throughout SoCal with his wonderful wife Thera.

Adaptive Surfing

Since its first inauguration as part of the International Surfing Association (ISA) in 2015, adaptive surfing has been growing quite a bit. The International Surfing Association (ISA), founded in 1964, is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the World Governing Authority for Surfing. The most recent adaptive surfing event occurred at the Pismo Beach ISA World Para Surfing Championship which gathered the best para surfers to compete and display their talents in a Paralympic-style, World Championship competition.