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Ivy Paralympians
Friday, August 01, 2008
By: Leilana McKindra, NCAA News
Yale swimmer Deb Gruen is just four feet, seven inches tall. Because she has spina bifida, her legs don?????????t work well. In the water, she can?????????t kick and she has difficulty pushing off the wall. Out of the water, she uses a cane to walk. But none of that has deterred her.
The same goes for Harvard?????????s Beth Kolbe ????????? a quadriplegic since age 14 when she sustained a spinal-cord injury in a car accident ????????? and for Massachusetts????????? Michael Prout, who was born with a shorter right arm, right leg and three fingers on his right hand. Add to the list Springfield?????????s Justin Zook, who was born with one leg larger than the other and has endured more than two dozen operations to lengthen his shorter leg.
Those four have one other important common denominator ????????? they?????????re all NCAA student-athletes. While they may not be the fastest on their respective squads ????????? their disabilities make that nearly impossible ????????? they contribute to their programs in ways that command the respect of teammates, other athletes and fans.
To read the rest of Leilandra McKindra's story as found in the current issue of the NCAA's Champion magazine, please click here.
