Taylor Young found lifelong friends, a spot on a Special Olympics team and a place to belong at Scottsdale's Adaptive Recreation Center.
Young, who has autism, said making friends and participating in activities with peers had been difficult before she joined the center at 8102 E. Jackrabbit Road. The facility offers dances, karaoke, cooking, yoga, a book club and a smart shopper course, according to the city of Scottsdale.
"It is very important to me. Before I didn't really do anything, have any friends much," Young said.
Young is also a member of the Scottsdale Bobcats, the city's Special Olympics Arizona team. A competitive grant from the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) expanded the program, and the center now serves as the Bobcats' hub. The team competes in swimming, bowling, bocce, flag football, basketball, powerlifting, Topgolf and soccer.
Some Bobcats members earned medals at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minneapolis, which ran June 20 through June 26 and drew nearly 3,000 athletes from all 50 states across 16 sports, ESPN reported. The city did not specify how many medals Scottsdale athletes won or in which events.
Young's father, William Young, now volunteers as a coach for the program. He said Adaptive Recreation gave his daughter a place to belong, connect and grow. Before Scottsdale, he said, Taylor was asked to leave a dance program because the instructor didn't know how to manage her differences.
"In Scottsdale, that would never happen," William Young said.
The center makes room for all of it. The facility includes a multipurpose room, game room, sensory room, full demonstration kitchen, garden and patio. Two full-time and seven part-time staff members run it, supported by 33 recurring volunteers.
Nick Molinari, senior director of Scottsdale Parks, Recreation, Human Services and Preserve, said staff are trained to support participants in mainstream community programs. City Manager Greg Caton said the city is committed to accessible recreation for residents with physical and neurological disabilities.
Programs extend beyond the center's walls. Sports practices happen at other city facilities, and the program offers off-site outings for social and leisure activities. The city also provides accommodations such as American Sign Language interpreters, assistive listening devices, Braille materials and inclusion support across its recreation programs.
Residents interested in joining can sign up through the city's Adaptive Recreation page, email [email protected] or call 480-312-2234. The Scottsdale Bobcats' bocce and swim team end-of-season celebration is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 28, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
