Redefining Disability

Alana Nichols is a world-class athlete with a passion for challenging herself and others. After suffering a spinal cord injury at age 17 while attempting a back flip on her snowboard, Alana quickly transitioned to adaptive sports. She is a 5X Paralympian and a 6 X Paralympic Medalist, including 3 Gold, 2 Silver, and 1 Bronze. In fact, she is the first American female to win gold medals at both Summer and Winter Paralympic Games. She has competed in three sports at the Paralympic level, including wheelchair basketball, alpine skiing, and sprint kayaking and now she is focused on competitive surfing. Alana is Past President of the Women’s Sports Foundation and served as one of the NBC Commentators for the Tokyo Paralympics.

Logan Aldridge is a leader with the Adaptive Training Academy. As the director of training for the ATA, Logan teaches adaptive CrossFit to both disabled and abled body athletes all over the world. In addition to coaching, he also competes in CrossFit competitions. Logan has wowed people all across the world with his incredible feats of strength with just one arm.

Erica Wheeler went to Stanford University, and not only set the school women’s javelin record but a Pacific-10 Conference mark as well. She left there as a four-time All-American. She would go on to compete for #TeamUSA at the 1996 Olympic teams and later would win the 2003 U.S. outdoor title. Erica would move into coaching and now is the throwing coach for the U.S. Para Track & Field Team. So we discuss the various para field events.

Jill Moore would describe herself as a bonafide play addict. Born with spina bifida, she tried a number of adaptive sports growing up from wheelchair rugby and basketball to track and field. She received a wheelchair racing scholarship to attend the University of Illinois, where she would study industrial design. She also competed for Team USA in 2015. She continues to advance the field of play by serving as an inclusive play specialist at Landscape Structures. We chat about sports, recreation, and play for all.

Ian Seidenfeld just followed in his father’s footsteps by winning a gold medal in para table tennis at the Tokyo Paralympic Games. His father Mitch, who is also Ian’s coach, did the same at the 1992 Games. We sit down with Ian to get the spin on the sport.

Tahl Leibovitz is competing in his sixth Paralympic games in Tokyo in the sport of para table tenns. To date, he has brought home three medals for Team USA, including 1 gold and 2 bronze. Tahl is an icon in the sport and has been inducted into the USA Table Tennis Hall of Fame and has represented the United States internationally for more than 20 years. He wrote Ping Pong for Fighters, a best selling table tennis instructional book. Outside of sport, Tahl graduated with an MSW from New York University, is currently licensed as an LMSW and works in New York City assisting marginalized groups and individuals.

Lex Gillette is the current world record holder in the long jump, a four-time Paralympic medalist, a three-time long jump world champion, and an 18-time national champion. He is the only totally blind athlete to ever eclipse the 22-foot barrier in the long jump. Lex won his first Paralympic silver medal in the long jump at the 2004 Paralympics in Athens. He was 19. Now, he is in Tokyo, planning to medal at his fifth consecutive Paralympic Games with his mantra “No Need for Sight When You Have a Vision®”.

On May 25, 2001, Erik Weihenmayer became the first blind person to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. Seven years later, he would complete the Seven Summits, the highest point on every continent. In 2014, he kayaked the entire 277-miles of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Erik understands that barriers are real, not merely perceived, and that obstacles encountered can either stop us in our tracks, or we can figure out a way to harness them. His propensity to take on and knock down the loftiest of challenges is carried through his work with No Barriers, through his books, films, and other projects to encourage others to take their barriers as well.

Never expected to sit, stand, walk, or even possibly live, McKenzie Coan, who was born with brittle bone disease, has spent her life defying the odds. At 8 years old, she would set out on a successful swimming career. Four years later, she would compete at the London Paralympic Games in 2012. She would stand atop the Paralympic podium 3 times in 2016 in Rio. Now, she is heading to Tokyo for her 3rd games. We talk with her about her life, her career and her new book, “Breaking Free – Shattering Expectations and Thriving with Ambition in Pursuit of Gold” which tackles some of today’s hot topics including discrimination, mental health, self-care, and body image.

Candice Caesar’s father and grandfather both served in our country’s military. She knew that she wanted to serve as well, enlisting in the U.S. Army. But a vehicle accident while on duty in Germany impacted her military career after suffering a spinal cord injury. She challenged her prognosis by setting out with a goal to complete a marathon or half marathon in every state. Now, she has set her sight on competing in para archery at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris.