UC adds adaptive athletics program

Spectrum News highlighted the experiences of student Mikiahya Greene, a new recruit to the UC Adaptive Athletics track and field team. Greene was shot and paralyzed about 15 months ago and now uses a wheelchair. 

“It looks different because unlike me using my legs like I was before when I was running in high school, my chair is my legs," Greene told Spectrum News.

Jacob Counts, UC Adaptive Athletics coach and program director, uses his personal experience as a former Paralympian to support student athletes like Greene. 

“My hope for all of our athletes is one that they get the opportunity to take their athletic career as far as they want and where they want," Counts said. "And a secondary goal is just develop good people that are going to be strong and be able to face the bumps that we're all going to hit along the way.”

While practices are just starting to ramp up, Greene said her long-term goal is to compete in the Paralympics one day.

“I didn't see myself doing this," she said. "This is not something that I saw in my future. I didn't even know it was something that I can do. But it's giving me that hope that this is just the beginning. It gives me that sense where I can look back and say, 'Wow, I'm doing this.'”

Watch or read the Spectrum News story.

Read more about UC Adaptive Athletics.

Featured photo at top of Mikiahya Greene at the Flying Pig Hand Cycle 10K provided.