Hawaii's own adaptive games for Veterans — canoe sprints to wheelchair slalom, island-wide, November 5–12, 2026. The biggest day of the games happens on our field, and our coaches train the athletes all year long.
"Koa" is the Hawaiian word for warrior — and that's exactly who shows up. Launched in 2023 by the VA Pacific Islands Health Care System, the Koa Challenge Veteran Games bring together more than a hundred Veterans every November for a week of adaptive competition across Oahu: canoe sprints at Ke'ehi Lagoon, climbing, powerwalking, cycling, pickleball, bowling — and a full day of adaptive fitness, wheelchair slalom, archery, basketball, and horseshoes right here at the AMVETS West Oahu Veterans Center.
The games aren't just medals. The VA's recreation therapists built them to fight the real enemies — isolation and depression — by giving Veterans something to train for, and a field full of people cheering when they get there.
"What I do as a coach is to help Veterans do the best they can with what they've got."
— Coach Alim, quoted in the VA's official coverage of the 2024 games
Big Tire Bootcamp trains at the AMVETS West Oahu Veterans Center — the same field that hosts the busiest day of the Koa Challenge. Five of the twelve events run here, and many of the Veterans on that start line are athletes our coaches work with all year through our Adaptive Fitness program: weekly adaptive sessions, fitness assessments, assistive technology training, and one-on-one coaching.
When the games arrive, our job is simple: get every warrior to the line prepared, confident, and surrounded by their people — then cheer as loud as the families do.
Red-flagged events run on our field at the West Oahu Veterans Center.
The first Koa Challenge Veteran Games — VA Pacific Islands Health Care System launches Hawaii's own adaptive games for Veterans.
125 Veterans compete across 12 events island-wide, Nov 11–16. The biggest single day of the games is held on our field at the West Oahu Veterans Center.
The games return — Warrior Field again hosts adaptive fitness, archery, wheelchair slalom, basketball, and horseshoes on Nov 14.
The 4th annual Koa Challenge is official: November 5–12, 2026. Registration packets at the Spark Matsunaga Lobby & Akaka Atrium.
The 4th annual games are set. Pick up registration packets at the Spark Matsunaga Lobby and the Akaka Atrium — then come train with us so you hit the start line ready.
Every Koa Challenge athlete started with one session. Veterans & active duty train free, every ability welcome, and your first week costs nothing.
