Chris Stoutenburg

Chris "Stouty" Stoutenburg (born 1977) is a Canadian wheelchair basketball player and CrossFit trainer. Following an accident as a teenager, he has won two Paralympics gold medals for Team Canada in 2000 and 2004.

Early life and injury

Stoutenburg was born in 1977.[1] He enrolled at Collingwood Collegiate Institute where he participated in football, basketball, golf, track, and field. During his senior year, he was scouted for his football talents by many Canadian universities before settling on the University of Guelph.[2] However, prior to starting his freshman year at the school, Stoutenburg fell two stories from a balcony and became paralyzed.[3] As a result of the fall, he fractured three thoracic vertebrae and required surgery to insert metal rods to help support his spine.[4]

Career

Following the accident, Stoutenburg returned to school where he was introduced to wheelchair basketball. In his first year playing, he made the Canadian junior team and eventually earned an NCAA Division I scholarship to the University of Illinois. In 2000, Stoutenburg made Canada men's national wheelchair basketball team and won a gold medal at the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney.[4] He once again qualified for the Paralympic Games in 2004, where he won his second gold medal.[5] Stoutenburg continued to compete with the national team at other tournaments, winning the 2006 Wheelchair Basketball World Championship.[6] Stoutenburg eventually retired from the sport after 10 years with the national team and became involved in CrossFit.[4]

References

  1. ^ "CHRIS STOUTENBURG: A WHEEL LIFE STORY". Dai Manuel. June 27, 2014. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  2. ^ "CHRIS STOUTENBURG". Collingwood Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  3. ^ Rose, Angela. "Meet Chris " Stouty" Stoutenburg - The man with the heart of a Lion". Sweatrx Magazine. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Zane, Lisa (January 17, 2013). "AFTER THE FALL: CHRIS STOUTENBURG". Crossfit Games. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
  5. ^ "Wheelchair basketball". The Leader-Post. September 29, 2004. Retrieved August 3, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Edwards, John (March 12, 2014). "Hall of famer Stoutenburg eyes basketball comeback". simcoe.com. Retrieved August 3, 2021.