Goalballer Shooting for the Paralympics

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Date: Mon, 22 Oct 2007 21:07:56 -0400

The News Journal, Delaware USA
Monday, October 22, 2007

By ANDY JASNER

Brandywine junior Andy Jenks developing into an elite athlete in goalball

Special to The News Journal

Caption: Andy Jenks defends the goal at the High School National Goalball
Championships Tournament in St. Augustine, Fla. Jenks' team won the gold medal,
and the Brandywine High junior was named the most valuable player. Photo by Hal
Simpson

Jenks, who has been legally blind since birth, recently competed in the
National High School Goalball Championship Tournament in St. Augustine, Fla.,
on a team sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Blind Sports Organization.

In less than five years, Andy Jenks plans to be on a flight to London.

The Brandywine High junior dreams about participating in the Paralympic Games,
to be held Aug. 29-Sept. 9, 2012, in London.

"That's my main goal, definitely," Jenks said. "I think about it a lot."

Those thoughts could come to fruition if Jenks continues improving at such a
rapid pace in the sport of goalball.

The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Jenks, who has been legally blind since birth, recently
competed in the National High School Goalball Championship Tournament in St.
Augustine, Fla., on a team sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Blind Sports
Organization.

Jenks' BSO team won the gold medal, and he was named the most valuable player
and an All-American team member.

Also, Jenks was one of six boys named by the United States Association of Blind
Athletes to join the United States Youth National Goalball team. In July, the
team played in the International Blind Sports Association World Youth and
Student Games, held every two years in Colorado Springs, Colo. The team earned
a silver medal.

Blind athletes age 13 to 18 competed in events such as goalball -- which is
similar to handball except athletes use their hearing to block a ball with bell
sounds -- swimming, track and field and judo.

Nineteen countries were represented, including Brazil, Russia, Mexico and
Bulgaria.

"It was a great experience meeting athletes from all over the world," Jenks
said. "It was a lot of fun to be a part of it."

So was the tournament in Florida.

"Winning the MVP was kind of unexpected," he said. "I didn't play the whole
time because I was pulled from the games when we were up by four, five or six
goals. It was an unexpected surprise to win the MVP award. I was very happy
when they told me I had won."

Jenks will have an unexpected hiatus in his schedule because he discovered he
has a broken bone in his right wrist, which will require surgery. Jenks expects
to rest his wrist until the beginning of 2008.

"I'll still be able to do cardio work to stay in shape," he said. "I just won't
be able to throw a ball or use the wrist for a while."

Mark Lucas, executive director of the United States Association of Blind
Athletes, said surgery won't hinder Jenks' future.

"If I was 16, and if I was facing every day what this young man has to face, I
don't think I'd have anywhere near the maturity level that he has," Lucas said.
"He's an incredible, incredible young man. He's an incredible goalball athlete.
He's a big, strong kid who is on track for the Paralympic Games in 2012. He has
that kind of special ability. He's very well adjusted all around. So we have
our sights set on him."

While Jenks is rehabilitating from surgery, he will continue to focus on his
studies at Brandywine, which include advanced placement classes in calculus,
history and English. He also has time to play the baritone saxophone.

"I think I want to study music in college," Jenks said. "I'm really into music."

Does Jenks believe he is an inspiration to others?

"I don't think I am," Jenks said. "I mean, I know I can't drive, I can't catch
balls too good and I can't play sports like tennis, but I don't let it bother
me. I've been living with this my whole life. A couple of my best friends are
blind and they don't play sports at all."

Jenks revels in succeeding at goalball. He plans to take every step possible to
earn a spot on the Paralympic team.

"To have the chance to represent my country would be something special," Jenks
said. "That would be a dream come true."

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071022/SPORTS11/710220326/1002/sports
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Goalballer Shooting for the Paralympics

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