|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Teen Sidesteps Disability Competing in Wheelchair Sports
Fourteen-year-old Jon Litzkow runs track, plays basketball and rugby, has tried water skiing with the Waterhawks, and hopes to snow ski. His goal is one day to compete in the Olympics. Not atypical activities or dreams for a teenager.
Litzkow isn’t typical. Confined to a wheelchair since the age of two following an accident that injured his spinal cord from the T7 to T11, he’s paralyzed from the waist down.
“I see no struggles,” Litzkow said. “I just see things as something to accomplish. I’m trying other sports, seeing if I like them. So far, I’ve liked every sport I’ve played. I’m not afraid of trying new things.”
|
 |
|
|
|
| |
Living the National Geographic
Glen Henry has taught hundreds of people how to scuba dive. That’s impressive enough but even more so considering he had never dove before putting together a plan to teach diving at the University of Northern Iowa in 1971.
“UNI had gotten federal dollars to build the Physical Education Center. Dr. (Bill) Thrall was head of the new building and knew there were monies left over. He asked the staff of about 13 at the time to come up with ideas for new classes. Being around the water and in the water program (Henry was the men’s swimming coach at the time), I thought maybe we could put in scuba. I put together a plan and a budget, and they said yes. We bought the equipment, put it in the student catalog and bingo, it filled up like crazy,” Henry said. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
