Living his life with the belief that there is no such thing as the word “can't”, this Dryden athlete went from the sport fields of northwestern Ontario to the stadiums of the world. Competing in a variety of events in the CP1 classification in his first Ontario Cerebral Palsy Games in 1986, his record setting performance and 3 gold and 1 silver medal, was a sign of things to come.
His performance at the 1987 Cerebral Palsy National Games saw him win medals in all five of the events he entered, claiming gold in electric wheelchair slalom, individual boccia and team boccia and silver in precision throw and distance throw. Representing Canada at the 1987 Can-Am Pacific Games for the Disabled, a competition featuring athletes from five different countries, he won two bronze medals in his first international competition.
Named an Ambassador of Dryden and their Male Athlete Recipient of the 1988 Olympic Celebration Medal, the financial and moral support received from his hometown served as a source of inspiration, leading him to earn a spot on the 1988 Canadian Paralympic team. Competing in five events at the Seoul Games, he won a bronze medal in the Wheelchair Slalom CI division and helped contribute to Canada's 4th place finish in the medal standings.
A national record holder he continued to bring home medals from competitions around the world including a gold and bronze from the 1989 Robin Hood International Games in England and a silver medal from the 1990 World Championships. His 4th place showing at the 1991 Boccia World Cup earned him a 4th place world ranking in singles boccia and a spot on Canada's 1992 Paralympic Team and Boccia Team Captain honours in Barcelona.
Becoming a Certified International Referee he attended the 1994 World Boccia Cup. Named Assistant Coach of the National Boccia Team he helped guide the team at the 1995 World Championships and attended his third Paralympics in Atlanta in 1996, a fitting way to mark his years of involvement.
In addition to serving as a source of pride through his sports career, this outstanding individual has given back in a number of ways, serving as President of Lakehead University's Student Union, and as an advocate for accessibility. In 2008 he joined the Ottawa to Winnipeg portion of a trek across the country to raise money for autism.
Inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame September 27, 2008