Sports History: It’s Not Just a Game

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

  • Best Offensive Player Award–National Championships: Salt Lake City, UT 2012

  • Key to the City–Coral Springs, FL 2017

  • 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
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