While we have politicians, school officials, and others telling our students what they cannot possibly do, here's one coach who shatters these myths of diminished expectations:
International Herald Tribune
Disabled Hawaii graduate assistant Brian Kajiyama to travel with team for the first time
The Associated Press
Monday, December 24, 2007
HONOLULU: He spends hours on the football field, but his feet never touch the turf. His specialty is dissecting offenses, but he's never played a down.
Meet Brian Kajiyama, a first-year graduate assistant for Hawaii who was born with cerebral palsy, scoots around in a motorized wheelchair and communicates by typing into a small computer that speaks in a robotic voice.
As a member of the coach June Jones' staff, Kajiyama is responsible for breaking down game film and preparing scouting reports for the defense.
Ask Hawaii's players and coaches and they'll tell you Kajiyama has contributed greatly to the best football season the school has ever had. The Warriors are Western Athletic Conference champions, the only unbeaten team in major college football and on their way to their first Bowl Championship Series appearance and a matchup against No. 4 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1.
"Everybody talks about the greatness of this 12-0 team and how we have a tremendous quarterback. That is so true," said Jeff Reinebold, Hawaii's defensive line coach. "(But) is there anybody who has made the impact that guy in the chair is making in terms of changing lives? I don't know."
Reinebold called Kajiyama's role at Hawaii "groundbreaking."
"Brian, to my knowledge, is the first wheelchair-bound, non-speaking coach in college football," Reinebold said.
Kajiyama attends every practice. He zips around the field and is generous with his high-fives and smiles. A Warriors logo is proudly displayed on the back of his wheelchair. Above that, there's a sticker that reads, "No Fear."
As long as he can remember, he always wanted to be part of a team, in the action, on the field.
"It's been a great ride that I never, ever dreamed of, even in my wildest dreams," Kajiyama said.
Read more at http://www.iht.com/bin/printfriendly.php?id=8883031
1 comment:
I am so happy when I see someone who proves yet again that a person with cerebral palsy, though outwardly seeming to be incommunicative, is capable of deep, analytical thinking. Blogs like yours need to make sure that as many people as possible are aware of that.
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