'You can do anything'
COSHOCTON — Being in a wheelchair from spina bifda hasn't prevented Cody Croy from pursuing his dreams of being a student athlete.
The 15-year-old son of Matt and Wendy Croy was recently runner-up at the state Special Olympics indoor games in the basketball skills competition. Events were held at Bowling Green State University. The contest featured dribbling, passing and shooting. Croy was just a point off from the taking the title.
"I'm disappointed because it was a one point difference, but I'll take second, that's fine," Croy said.
Croy also wrestles at Ridgewood and is the school's first wheelchair athlete in track, competing in shotput and 100 meters. Along with basketball for Special Olympics, he also bowls.
"I feel it's important to show people that, no matter what you face, you can do anything. I'm capable of doing all those things," Croy said. "Every time I do something, like every time I go to state, the outpouring from the community is incredible and I love it."
Aaron Mullins, coach for the Hopewell Indians, said Croy isn't able to play on either of the two basketball teams from the school for the developmentally disabled. However, he hopes they might be able to create a specific wheelchair team if they can find other players.
Croy practices with the Indians and Mullins said he's probably the best shooter they have. His dribbling has also improved greatly over the past two years, as the wheelchair can be an obstacle.
Mullins said the other players see Croy as someone to get behind and cheer on.
"They're impressed by the way he can shoot the basketball and play basketball. I've heard them even be jealous sometimes of how he can play," Mullins said with a laugh.
Croy dreams of becoming a a Paralympian, but he's also interested in sports broadcasting. His father calls sports for WTNS Radio.
Basketball has always been Croy's favorite sport. As a kid, he became a big fan of the NBA and the Cleveland Cavaliers. His current favorite player is Darius Garland. He remembers being in third grade and playing basketball during recess, realizing it was the sport for him.
"It's the only sport I'm able to fully do. I can throw a football, but I obviously can't play football. I can throw a baseball, but I obviously can't play baseball. Basketball, I can do all aspects of it. I can dribble, I can pass and I can shoot," Croy said.
Mullins said basketball is an excellent sport for those with mental or physical disabilities in building confidence and a sense of belonging.
"It's a way for them to interact with people that are similar and allows them to come together as a team and feel that comradery. You can't get that feeling from anything else, being on a sports team is just a different feeling," Mullins said. "It allows them to come together and feel the accomplishment of playing a sport and what having success feels like. They build relationships and learn how to be more independent on their own."
Anyone interested in joining or supporting a wheelchair basketball team can contact Hopewell School at 740-622-2032.
llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com
@llhayhurst
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This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: 'You can do anything'
