I think I finally figured out why I am attracted to the world of assisting young student athletes and family members re-invent themselves after being paralyzed in sports. I love the concept of re-invention. I love the idea that one of the greatest gifts we humans give to each other is to be on full […]

Four young men with spinal cord injuries paralyzed while playing sports seek to mentor newly injured student athletes. Now, that is not: “lame”. Those that fight a battle against allowing student athletes to participate uninsured by the sponsoring organization are to be applauded. They are MOST CERTAINLY, not “lame”   “Lame” is a word that connotes: […]

 “Never alone-The Sports Family Reaching Out to the Sports Family-People Power Conquer Paralysis”   The power of a limitless connected community via social media is showing great promise in the sharing or knowledge and more among those of similar interests. Miracles can happen when people work together supporting a common cause.   The new: Athlete […]

We are writing today to leaders in the athletic training profession with an exciting invitation.   In 2013 The Gridiron Alliance (501 3C) organization originally organized to assist Illinois student athletes (football) with catastrophic injuries is expanding our outreach to: +all sports and +all states   We would like to send you one our books […]

Today, I want to BLOG about something that has been bugging me for a long time: the huge problem of isolation and lack of resources available to student athletes who suffer catastrophic injury.   I have made a 14 year exhaustive study of what it takes to make a comeback journey for catastrophically injured student […]

“What appears dead, or nearly dead, rises again” via LEAPS OF FAITH.   I am going to begin collecting and sharing nominations for a new club I am starting here. The Leap of Faith Club builds on 14 years of collecting stories derived from studying broken neck student athletes as they activate comeback stories of adjusting to their […]

  Guest Blog: Monday, November 19, 2012  By Megan Jones, Editor-in-Chief-Wheeling High School (IL)   Gridiron Alliance, local advocates who reach out to paralyzed high school athletes, asked District 214 to consider a paid insurance policy that would cover student athletics in case of “catastrophic” accidents. The discussion arose at the school board meeting on […]

Liam Brady (student editor in chief) writes in the November 9, 2012 edition of ” Pacer”- student newspaper of the Rolling Meadows High School student newspaper:   Every time an athlete steps out onto the playing field there is potential for disaster, and sometimes this disaster is more than just a lost game.   Since […]

THIS MORNING’S NEWS: South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore suffered a dislocated knee and damage to several ligaments, the university announced Sunday, but Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier told reporters that he’s optimistic about the star back’s future.   How will Marcus Lattimore rally what it takes to deal with his bad news, work through the […]

Ahead is a big week for me and those involved in fostering a movement to deal with issues related to sports safety for high school athletes. I am proudly carrying the potent inspirational power that comes from three young men who have passed from this life from complications from their sports injuries. With Gridiron Alliance board […]

If only the School Board of High School District 214 could have seen what I witnessed in the aftermath of a catastrophic football injury to one of their students……….The broken neck seventeen year old junior Rob Komosa received on October 6,1999 was one terrible consequence of his youthful decision to play high school sports.   Another unintended consequence of […]

One of the major reasons I continue to mobilize and come to the assistance of paralyzed former athletes is that I witnessed the miracle of community in action. Community power changes lives for the better. Every catastrophically injured student athlete; rich, or poor, white, or black needs the power of community to mobilize and provide unified […]

Please don’t call me: “chicken little” running around claiming that the sky is falling.   Let me plead my case for providing catastrophic injury insurance for high school student athletes-right now…at no new taxes, no new fees for parents…..   Listen up?   Read the national sports news: Former Bears superstar: Jim McMahon is telling […]

  SCHOOL SAFETY-INSURANCE PLEDGE   Now is the time for our nation’s high schools to do their very best to promote safety in sports and take steps to put into place a realistic and practical and affordable catastrophic injury safety net. A model program is in place in Illinois where for less than $2.00 per […]

PIECING TOGETHER THE GRACE AND BLESSINGS OF AN “IMPERFECT LIFE“   Life means self-motion. Loss of ability to move oneself, paralysis, can easily lead to self-pity. The stories in these pages (The book: Unbreakable Resilience) show a different path. They are important for all of us.”   Francis Cardinal George, OMI Archbishop of Chicago   […]