Greg Neumann: Wheelchair Poolshark

People in wheelchairs are often faced with difficulties in their day to day life, but most of these can be overcome. One man has not only overcome these difficulties, but he has done so with great style.

Greg Neumann manages an off-site betting facility for the Fairmont Park Racetrack and is also an excellent wheelchair pool player. He has been playing pool since he was sixteen, but has also enjoyed bowling and playing wheelchair basketball.

When Neumann was a child, a tumor on his spinal cord eventually left him unable to use his legs, but he never let that stop him. With the support of his three younger brothers, Neumann never gave up and remained active.

He joined a wheelchair basketball team when in his teens and also bowled with an average of around 148, then at the age of 16, he discovered his uncles pool table. When he couldn’t get over to his uncles house, he would read up on the game and he quickly discovered he could excel at pool.

In 1986, Neumann joined the American Pool Association and has been entering and winning competitions since then. He regularly competes in Las Vegas and most recently came in third in a wheelchair pool competition.

When he is not working or attending competitions, Neumann enjoys playing pool at a local pool hall called Sharky’s. His family is still there supporting him and his nephew is keen to learn and will begin playing competitively next year when he turns 18.

The Off-Road Wheelchair Accessory

Travis Watkins was given the assignment of creating a device that helped improve the life of a disabled person during his senior year at the University of Florida. It was not hard for Watkins to come up with a very innovative and helpful idea. He designed a platform that can be used with any electric wheelchair to turn it into a rugged off-road machine.

Watkins father suffers from Lou Gehrig’s Disease, which is also referred to as ALS. This disease greatly affects a persons’ mobility and their ability to eat and speak, while leaving their mind largely untouched. Due to Watkins close relationship with his father, it was not hard for him to decide on a way to improve his fathers life.

Together with his project partners, professor Stephen Sundarrao, and other individuals who use electric wheelchairs, Watkins constructed a very sturdy base aptly named the Tank. The Tank is a five foot by five foot device that features 2 rugged ATV wheels in front that make it very versatile. Coming it at around 150 pounds, almost any electric power wheelchair can be placed on top of the Tank. It is then locked in place and the electric wheelchair actually does all of the work.

Jim Watkins, Travis’s father, is very happy with the Tank and it has allowed him to goto the beach and pretty much anywhere else he wants.

Travis has since put the Tank into production and with the help of Sundarro, they have established a company called Rehab Ideas, which also offers other devices that the students have created to help improve the lives of people living with disabilities. Work began last month on 400 of these devices, which will cost around $5000.

Scholarship for College Students in Wheelchairs

College is an excellent opportunity to learn new things, be exposed to different views, and broaden your horizons. There are some great professors who really care about their students and enjoy teaching, and this makes a big difference. While often times a great experience, college can be difficult for anyone. This is especially true of individuals who are mobility challenged.

As a mobility challenged student there are many obstacles that must be overcome, but today most schools have a department that is dedicated to helping these students.

If you are mobility challenged and use a manual or electric wheelchair, there are several scholarships that might be available to you. One is the AmeriGlide Achiever Scholarship.

This scholarship is offered by AmeriGlide, which is a leading supplier and distributor of stair lifts, wheelchair lifts, and other mobility related devices.

To be eligible for this $500 scholarship, you must be enrolled full time at an accredited college or university and have a GPA of at least 3.0. You must also be a legal resident of the United States or have a valid student visa.

Students who use manual or electric wheelchairs will also need to write a short 500 word essay about the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The deadline to apply is January 2nd, 2009 and the winner will be announced in the beginning of March.

You can apply online and fill out the online application form or if you would prefer, you can print out the application and mail it directly to AmeriGlide.

To Apply

For more information about the requirements and how to apply, visit the AmeriGlide Achiever Scholarship page.