For wounded, ill, and injured service members and veterans, the Warrior Games represent something powerful: a pathway to recovery, renewed purpose, and future success.  

Magellan Federal had the honor of attending and supporting the 2026 Warrior Games in San Antonio, an event that draws thousands of supporters each year to cheer on recovering service members competing in adaptive sports. Those not intimately involved in the Warrior Games may see medals and competition. What they don’t always see is the recovery journey that brought these service members to the Warrior Games. Throughout the week, we witnessed firsthand how adaptive sports, career development, and community support work together to build resilience, confidence, and hope for the future. 

The Power of Adaptive Sports 

Adaptive sports use specialized equipment, adaptive techniques, and tailored coaching to ensure recovering service members can safely engage in activities such as wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, cycling, rowing, swimming, archery, and track and field. 

Adaptive sports provide wounded, ill, and injured service members with opportunities to rebuild strength, regain confidence, and reconnect with a sense of purpose through competition and physical activity. More than recreation, adaptive sports are a proven pathway to recovery, resilience, and long-term wellbeing. They help participants overcome physical and psychological challenges while fostering camaraderie and teamwork. 

The Impact of Coaching 

Adaptive sports coaches are essential to this process. They do far more than teach athletic techniques or improve performance. As mentors, motivators, and trusted supporters, they help service members navigate their recovery journey, set meaningful goals, and recognize their abilities rather than their limitations. 

Through their leadership, coaches create an environment that promotes growth, independence, and empowerment, enabling athletes to achieve success both in sport and in life beyond military service. 

Magellan Federal, alongside our prime partner, KSA Integration, provided 10 adaptive sports coaches during the Warrior Games through the USMC’s Warrior Athletic Reconditioning Program (WAR-P). Our coaches play a critical role in supporting recovering service members both on and off the field of competition.  

One coach, Coach Lenville P. O’Donnell, shared, “I’ve been coaching at the Warrior Games for nine years, and the success of the program is indisputable. It gives these warriors a purpose and teaches them a process for success they carry forward in everything they will do in life. The Warrior Athletic Reconditioning Program changes lives and benefits not just the service members and veterans but their family and friends.”  

His perspective highlights the lasting impact of adaptive sports programs, where recovery is not defined by limitations but by empowering individuals to recognize their strengths, capabilities, and potential. 

Preparing for Life Beyond Recovery 

The lessons learned through adaptive sports often extend well beyond competition. The same resilience, discipline, confidence, and goal-setting skills that help recovering service members succeed in athletics also help prepare them for the next phase of their recovery journey. While physical rehabilitation is an important part of recovery, long-term success also depends on education, employment, personal growth, and finding renewed purpose for the future. 

During the Warrior Games, Magellan Federal Regional Coordinators supporting the Defense Health Agency Warrior Care Recovery Coordination Program’s Education and Employment Initiative (E2I) and Operation Warfighter (OWF) programs, in partnership with our prime contractor, AMSG, had the opportunity to engage with hundreds of service members, family members, and military leaders.  

Through E2I and OWF, recovering service members receive individualized support to explore career pathways, pursue educational opportunities, gain meaningful work experience, and prepare for successful transitions into civilian life. These programs help participants build the skills, confidence, and professional networks necessary for long-term success, reinforcing that recovery is not simply about overcoming challenges, but about creating new opportunities for growth and achievement.  

By focusing on future goals and personal potential, E2I and OWF empower service members to define their next chapter with purpose, resilience, and optimism. 

A Commitment That Extends Beyond the Games 

At Magellan Federal, we are proud to support initiatives that empower those who have served our nation. The Warrior Games are a powerful reminder that resilience grows when individuals are given the tools, encouragement, and opportunities to succeed, both during recovery and beyond. 

Long after the Games conclude, the confidence, connections, and skills gained through these programs continue to support participants as they pursue new personal and professional goals. The Warrior Games demonstrate that recovery is not defined by limitations or setbacks, but by the opportunities, support, and determination that help individuals move forward with confidence and purpose.

Coach Michael Pride’s Journey from Athlete to Adaptive Sports Mentor

The Department of Defense (DoD) Warrior Games is an annual adaptive sports competition that showcases the resilience and athleticism of wounded, ill, and injured Service members and Veterans. Participants compete in various sports, including archery, to promote recovery, rehabilitation, and a sense of camaraderie among the military community.

Magellan Federal is proud to have partnered with nine coaches in the 2024 Warrior Games to create a supportive and empowering environment, enabling athletes to thrive and showcase their resilience and skill on their road to recovery.

In this exclusive interview, we speak with Coach Michael Pride, a former Warrior Games athlete turned track coach for the DoD Warrior Athletic Reconditioning Program. Now, as a coach, he shares his unique perspective on tailoring training to each athlete’s needs, the unforgettable moments that have shaped his coaching career, and the vital role of overall wellness in achieving success.

Q: Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you became involved in coaching for the Warrior Games?

A: I started coaching in 2011 after participating as an athlete in 2010. I competed in track, earning a silver medal in the 100-meter sprint and a bronze medal in the 200-meter sprint. I was wounded in 2008 in an improvised explosive device incident that hit the vehicle I was driving and crushed my arm after the vehicle rolled on it. I began rehab at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego, CA, from 2008–2011.

At that time, there was an overwhelming presence of wounded and ill Marines, which prompted the Marine Corps to adopt the name Wounded Warrior. Part of my rehab was participating in adaptive sports, so when the DoD came up with the Warrior Games, it was a no-brainer for me to try it, as I ran track in high school in Kansas City, MO, my hometown.

Q: How do you tailor your coaching approach for Warrior Games athletes?

A:  I tailor my coaching style to each athlete’s wounds or illness, and I try to coach them to be comfortable competing with whatever they have going on in life now. I tell them my story, and they begin to trust my coaching capabilities.

Q: What was your most memorable moment from coaching at the 2024 Warrior Games?

A: My most memorable moment was when I got a chance to coach against my mentors, Jeff Mcauley and Rodney Carson. When they left Team Marine Corps, they began coaching Team Army track athletes. My memorable moment happened in the 4×1 meter relay when Team Marine and Team Army finished simultaneously. Team Army pulled it out by only a photo finish to see who won. This was when I got my name considered for the Team Marine Head Coach position.

Q: How do you modify your training regimen so it is accessible for all athletes?

A: I give them all the same training regimen that coincides with their respective events. The athletes take the training regimen and begin training on their own, but I also remember their medical situations. Sometimes, I have to modify it, pending the injury or illness they may be dealing with. The adjustments are minor, and coaching to the injury isn’t that difficult. One sees certain injuries and illnesses year after year, which results in the athletes competing at a high level.

Q: What do you think is the most important element to adaptive sports coaching?

A: The most important element of adaptive coaching is seeing the individual athlete believe in themselves again. They believe they can still do what they love to do. They believe all they have to do is try, and results happen. They watch their loved ones smile at them because they’re enjoying life again. That’s what fuels me to come back year after year to coach.

Q: What advice do you have for others looking to incorporate overall wellness into their performance routines?

A: I suggest incorporating overall wellness into their training. Ensure you’re ready to integrate the body, mind, and spirit into everything you do. If one isn’t well, it causes tremendous stress in one’s life. Make sure your overall health is being taken care of first. Don’t be afraid to talk about what you have going on. Be honest with your overall wellness in order to become that person or athlete you want to be.

About the Author: Michael Pride is a 43-year-old retired Marine and current track coach. Born in Kansas City, MO, he was a standout track athlete in high school. After graduating in 1999, he enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2007, serving as a Motor Transportation Operator. During his deployment to Afghanistan in 2008, Michael was severely wounded by an IED, leading to over 20 surgeries and three years of rehabilitation.

Michael competed in the inaugural Warrior Games in 2010, earning silver and bronze medals in sprint races. He began coaching the Marine Track Team in 2012 and became Head Coach in 2021. Under his leadership, the team has achieved numerous medals and personal bests.

He retired from the Marine Corps in 2022 with several honors, including the Purple Heart, Navy Commendation Medal, and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals. Michael is a father of three daughters and currently resides in Houston, TX, working as a truck driver for Schneider National.

*The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.