![Linn-Mar sophomore Jordan Houdeshell sprints down the track during a wheelchair race earlier this spring. Houdeshell was born with spina bifida. He also competes in basketball. (Photo by Ken Gilchrist)](/images/photos/linn-mar/boystrack/4.21.11 jordan houdeshell.jpg)
Strapped to a chair and feeling lucky
IOWA CITY -- Linn-Mar sophomore Jordan Houdeshell set a personal record in the shot put at the Forwald Relays Thursday, but there wasn't much time to celebrate.
He had to climb off the special chair he uses in the shot put, scamper into his wheelchair, roll himself through the grass to a paved lane and get to the track.
Once there, he had to switch wheelchairs -- from his regular chair to his racing chair or "bike" -- strap himself in, adjust his helmet and wheel himself to the starting line.
He did it all successfully, with determination and self-reliance. Houdeshell is an athlete; wheelchair is merely the adjective that precedes it.
Houdeshell is a full-fledged member of the Linn-Mar boys track team, even though he cannot walk or run.
"He does exactly what the other guys do in practice," Linn-Mar Coach Ken Hopkins said. "He just uses his arms instead of his legs. He's a great competitor, a great kid."
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