What we do

In the United States alone, more than 74 million people have a physical disability, including over two million people living with limb loss. These individuals often face tremendous barriers to physical activity, including a lack of knowledge of how to exercise, inability to obtain adaptive equipment or prosthetic devices, social exclusion from sports, and more. In fact, about 25% of individuals with any disability report being inactive during the week.

Beach volleyball represents an incredible opportunity for people with disabilities to get active and excel in sport. While the beach volleyball community is known for acceptance and inclusion, it is not known for a strong representation of individuals with disabilities, and there are few ways for these individuals to get involved. ICN is working to change that.

ICN provides training opportunities, creates educational programs, and offers equipment support to make it normal for adaptive athletes to step onto any beach volleyball court and to excel in life. Learn about our programs and clinics.

 
 

  • ICN serves as a bridge for adaptive athletes to reach the highest levels of beach volleyball. We create opportunities for adaptive athletes to succeed; they put in the work to make it happen.

  • When we close our eyes, we see a fiery sunset above endless rows of beach volleyball courts filled with athletes of all kinds; a beach volleyball community that embraces anyone and everyone; and a world where the success of adaptive athletes is not just inspirational or extraordinary—it’s normal.

  • ICN empowers adaptive athletes—from those who were born with limb differences or mobility issues, to those who experienced traumatic accidents or disease, to wounded warriors who have made tremendous sacrifices for our loved ones and neighbors. But our impact ripples beyond the adaptive community, providing opportunities for able-bodied individuals to learn new ways to play and love beach volleyball.

 
 
 
Jon Aharoni


  • Founder and President

    Jon lives and breathes volleyball. After playing indoor and beach volleyball competitively for more than 15 years, he transitioned to coaching and leading programs for youth and adults. Throughout his career, he has helped Olympians, Paralympians, professional athletes, and rising stars become better volleyball players and better people.

    Jon served as Assistant Coach for the USA Volleyball National Sitting Teams, helping the Women’s National Sitting Team become the top ranked team in the world and earn a gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. He was also Head Coach for the USA Beach Paravolley teams, and he led the men’s team to a gold medal and the women’s team to a silver medal at the first-ever 2019 Beach Paravolley World Series in Pingtan, China.

    Additionally, Jon partners with San Diego State University, Challenged Athletes Foundation, and the Colombian national sitting and beach paravolley teams to lead adaptive volleyball programs.

    He founded ICN to make it normal for adaptive athletes to compete on any court at any level, and to champion the push to make beach paravolley a Paralympic sport.

    Jon has earned countless accolades throughout his volleyball career—on and off the court—but he perceives his greatest accomplishments to be his two children, Jaime and Alton; he shares partial credit for this with his lovely wife, Doris.

 

Who we are

Jon Aharoni and Dave Newkirk founded ICN in 2022. Together, they develop and lead programs and outreach activities that empower adaptive athletes and enhance the sport of beach volleyball.

 


  • Cofounder

    From his earliest years, Dave excelled in sports like soccer, basketball, and golf. Eventually, he found his passion in volleyball.

    Missing his left arm below the elbow since birth, he began participating in adaptive athletics as a teenager. In 1990, he earned a spot on the US Men’s Standing Volleyball National Team and competed in three Paralympic games from 1992 to 2000, before standing volleyball was replaced with sitting volleyball. He also played volleyball in college for Texas Tech.

    More recently, Dave has led adaptive training seminars for individuals with upper-limb differences or other disabilities. He also helps trainers and gym owners across the country incorporate adaptive training principles to make it normal for all athletes to excel. At Dave’s Squat Emporium—a commercial-strength and conditioning center he constructed in his garage—he holds workshops to teach adaptive athletes to modify exercises and create training programs.

    Additionally, Dave has championed the effort to make beach paravolley an official Paralympic sport, earning a gold medal at the first-ever 2019 Beach ParaVolley World Series in Pingtan, China.

    Dave cofounded ICN to continue to light the way for beach paravolley and help others—especially youth—with limb differences and other disabilities achieve their athletic dreams.

 
 

Who our athletes are

Our adaptive athletes make a difference in the sport of beach volleyball and in the world. They are not extraordinary because of or despite their disabilities—they are extraordinary because of the positive impact they make on their teams, peers, and communities. They are making it normal for any athlete to step on any court and excel.

 
 

Athlete bio on Skye McDermott courtesy of our partners at p1440 and World ParaVolley.