One of the keys to being a “True Champion” as I note in my presentations is the idea of “Seeking Greatness Within.” When your character is successful, success will follow. Your achievements are a representation of your drive and persistence, and thus are not the end goal in and of themselves.Take a look at some of my favorites, and remember that a true champion seeks greatness within..
The Scoreboard
- Total Goalball Tournaments: 99
- International Goalball Tournaments: 34
- Gold Medal Finishes: 18
- Silver Medal Finishes: 27
- Bronze Medal Finishes: 21
Honors and Awards
Here are some of my favorite awards, though there were more that could be added, these hold special places for me.
- Spirit Athlete Award-Sports Education Camp, Kalamazoo, MI 2000
- MVP-Youth National Championships: St. Augustine, FL 2002
- All American–Youth National Championships: St. Augustine, FL 2001
- All Star Team–National Championships: Colorado Springs, CO 2005
- Featured Athlete Award–Olympic Training Center: Lake Placid, NY March 2005
- MVP-National Championships, St. Augustine, FL 2007
- All Star Team–National Championships: St. Augustine, FL 2007
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Best Offensive Player Award–National Championships: Salt Lake City, UT 2012
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Key to the City–Coral Springs, FL 2017
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MVP–South Florida Mixer, Lake Worth, FL 2018
Highlight Tournaments
As seen above, I’ve been in a lot more tournaments than listed, but these are some of my favorites and why…
- 2nd National Championships: Colorado Springs, CO 1999 (first tournament ever)
- 1st Junior National Championships: St. Augustine, FL 1999 (First Youth National Championship gold)
- 2nd Pan-American Games: Spartanburg, SC 2001 (First International tournament)
- 2nd Junior National Championships: St. Augustine, FL 2001 (Awarded All-American Player)
- 1st Madrid Internationals: Madrid, Spain 2002(First international gold medal)
- 11th Goalball World Championships: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2002 (First major butt kicking at a tournament)
- 1st Junior National Championships: St. Augustine, FL 2002 (Awarded MVP for the tournament)
- 3rd Paralympics: Athens, Greece 2004 (First Paralympics)
- 1st National Championships: Colorado Springs, CO 2005 (First National Championship Gold
- 2nd Pan-American Games: Sao Paulo, Brazil 2005 (Top Scorer with 32 Goals)
- 3rd Goalball World Championships: Spartansburg, South Carolina, 2006
- 1st National Championships: St. Augustine, FL 2007 (awarded All-tournament and MVP)
- 1st Lithuanian Internationals: Trakai, Lithuania 2007
- 4th Paralympic Games: Beijing, China 2008
- 4th World Championships: Sheffield, England (4th highest scorer with 34 Goals)
- 2nd National Championships: Salt Lake City, UT 2012 (Named Defensive Player of the Tournament)
- 3rd World Championships: Espoo, Finland 2014 (9th highest scorer with 34 Goals)
- 2nd Paralympic Games: Rio De Janeiro, Brazil 2016
Sports and Other Activities
Sports are a representation of life in many ways. The idea of teamwork, competition, perseverance,decision making, wins and loses…As a person with a disability, I love living life as much as anyone, and thus I like getting into as many activities as I can…any of these surprise you?
Sports I’ve competed in…
- Goalball
- Wrestling
- Basketball
- Track and Field
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Swimming
Fun Activities
- Shooting (Skeet and Target)
- Archery
- Ping Pong
- Lawn Darts
- Pool
- Water Skiing
- Wake Boarding
- Wall Climbing
- White Water Rafting
- Horseback Riding
- Roller Blading
- Dirt Biking
- Canoeing
- Back yard ball with the kids