Robert McMullen knows the value of being active in a way few of us will ever understand. He almost lost that ability forever.
At 19, he was an athletic and fearless teenager. He played hockey and raced go-carts competitively. All that changed after a racing mishap nearly took his life. When they removed him from his overturned vehicle, he had a broken neck. Doctors determined that he had permanent paralysis and quadriplegia.
Despite these challenges, he soon realized that being active and participating in recreational and athletic activities was essential to his mental, physical, and emotional well-being. Sadly, he also witnessed the devastation wrought by isolation and inactivity, when his disabled friend — once an avid outdoorsman — took his own life after struggling to adapt to post-injury recreational opportunities.
That tragedy inspired Robert to seek ways to ensure other disabled people could access recreational and athletic activities.
“I shoot recreationally, hunt by using an action track wheelchair, and love my pontoon boat – it’s my anti-depressant,” he said. “Other people don’t know how to access that.”
In 2021, during the height of pandemic lockdowns and feeling the toll of not being able to participate in those activities, he founded Adapted Sports and Recreation of Canada (ASRC). The organization hopes to provide adventurous, recreational, and athletic opportunities for disabled individuals to improve their quality of life and relieve the conditions associated with disability.
In 2022, it received charitable status. Now in its inaugural operational year, the ASRC has already found ways to provide shooting experiences for people with disabilities. McMullen, now 43, envisions adding fishing, hunting, off-road hand cycling, ATV trail riding, power boating, hiking, paddling and snowmobile trail riding too.
It seems like an idea whose time has come. Their booth at the Toronto Sportsmen’s Show this spring was a hit with people who have disabilities and their families and friends who see these activities as a means of improving their loved one’s quality of life. McMullen, who is the ASRC’s president, now works with 10 volunteers who help organize and run events.
“We want to provide free opportunities. I believe it is important to give individuals with disabilities the chance to access and participate in athletic and recreational activities. This can help to reduce symptoms generally associated with disabilities, such as depression, anxiety, and isolation to name a few. By providing these ways to participate and removing barriers, we can change the lives of many in a positive way.”
The organization is always looking for private property partners who are open to providing venues for activities, McMullen added. The organization also welcomes donations. Tax receipts will be provided.
“Life may have taken you down a different path, but if you want to participate in any of these activities, you can,” McMullen said.
ASRC participants use .22s, shotguns, and centrefire rifles to shoot at targets at ranges out to 100 yards. ASRC provides the firearms along with innovative shooting aids including an electronic joystick-controlled unit, guns fitted with suction tubes to pull triggers, as well as scopes with rangefinders and video cameras to enhance the experience.
The organization’s range also has three accessible shooting stations.
To learn more visit: www.asrc-charity.org
Originally published in the Nov.-Dec. 2025 issue of Ontario Out of Doors
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