Beyond the Court: From Paralympic Glory to Community Impact

Jacob Counts discovered wheelchair basketball in 1999 after losing the ability to play traditional sports six years prior. He excelled at the sport which afforded him an opportunity to go to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater where he competed and won three consecutive National Wheelchair Basketball Association Collegiate Division Titles. From there, following days, months and years of hard work, he received an invite to try out for the US National Team. While competing at the national level for four years, he reached a milestone that many athletes only dream of - he became a Paralympian in the 2008 Beijing Games! “I say for most sports you don't actually join the USA team, you finally break through and get on the USA team. So for most teams, it's a grind and you really have to love what you are doing in the first place to put that much time in.” For Jake, the love of the sport isn’t just about the physicality, and gameplay. It’s also one of the best community building activities there is for people of all abilities. He recounts some of his fondest memories on the national team being related to the connections he made while traveling.

“It might sound cheesy but I say the friends I made on the team not just in the states but all over the world would be my best memory. To this day I have a pretty good network of professionals I can rely on that were either on that team or competed against that team.” After retiring from Paralympic glory as a professional wheelchair basketballer, Jake turned his passion toward making an impact in the community and giving others an opportunity to participate on a team. He knew there was a lack of competitive sports for people with disabilities in the tri-state area, so he created the Greater Cincinnati Adapted Sports Club and its flagship program the Cincinnati Dragons, a youth wheelchair basketball team. “Paralympians end up paying their opportunities forward and you can see that in the growth of parasports, especially at the junior level.” The Bridge partners with GCASC and the Cincinnati Dragons to give the disability community a chance to not only engage in basketball, but often receive coaching support from other Paralympians as well. Having access to that level of experience inspires athletes to try harder, and that spirit lends itself to reaching a little further in the rest of their lives.

“The main thing I'd want people to know is how successful most athletes end up being in life in general after participating in parasports. It's a great way for people to build a base to become fully functioning members of the community who happen to have a disability. So as a community, we should take any chance to support parasports by being a fan, volunteering, or using our dollars to support it.” 

Learn more about all of the sports opportunities for people with disabilities at the Programs & Events tab on The Bridge website. Please contact us with any questions you have about how to get started in parasports.