It had been six long years since I’d last been in Du Quoin, Illinois, for NubAbility’s annual all-sports camp. But as much as things had changed, so much felt the same.
The same energy. The same enthusiasm. The same warmth, and most importantly, the same embrace.
NubAbility has come a long way since 2019. More and more families and coaches from across the USA flock to the tiny town in the Midwest in search of answers, friendship, and the chance to change hundreds of children’s futures.
There were even more sports added, too, with kids mastering archery and figuring out how to conquer golf with a limb-difference, which are two of the maddest things you’ll ever see.
But as aforementioned, six years had come and gone. And this year marked the tenth anniversary of my very first trip to the States and my first camp way back in 2015, which consequently played a major role in the launching of the DIA.
It’s hard to express how the blissful ignorance/sheer grit of the campers impacts you. That was once again portrayed on the wrestling mats. Once you experience it, it is like nothing else. Away from the thick mats, outside of those school doors, these incredible limb-different kids are often looked upon with pity, or other less positive emotions.
Inside those walls, however, it couldn’t be further from the truth. No legs? No problem. No arms? Never mind. These kids got to grips with others they’d never met before and conquered fears and anxiety many adults would only dream of. That blissful ignorance is something I wish we all carried more of.
Given the time that had passed, one of my favourite moments was getting to see so many of the kids of yesteryear now coaching. My old friend Lila, in particular, whom I met as a camper with the same difference as myself back in 2016, out there coaching lacrosse and absolutely bossing it.
Another special moment was reuniting with the Broyles family, and their daughter, Lacie. I’ve become great friends with them over the years. Lacie was the first person I ever met with the same difference as myself, so the Broyles family mean an awful lot to me.
From teaching Lacie to tie her shoes in 2017, we’ve helped a lot along the way. But this year, we had another eureka moment.
Having a limb-difference isn’t as straightforward as it sounds. On top of adapting to a world not built with us in mind, there are a lot of muscular issues that can come with it. That means exercising isn’t just a hobby, it’s something we have to do to avoid major problems later in life.
Honestly, I didn’t lift adaptively until I was 22 and didn’t figure it out for many more years, but I wish I had the tools to do so earlier. That’s why we go to camp. To give the next generation a head start that we didn’t have.
So we got in the weight room and messed around with multiple ways to work our shoulders, biceps, and squat safely. But the biggest moment came on the trap bar.
More trial-and-error ensued. One strap wasn’t enough. One hook wasn’t enough – and neither was one strap AND one hook! So we took matters into our own hands, and with my experience and no-nonsense attitude of her dad Jeremy, we figured it out - and lo and behold, Lacie hit multiple perfect deadlifts.
There is no greater feeling than helping people in this world. And moments like that, as small as they may seem, they mean everything.
Given this tenth anniversary, I was debating this camp being my last. Many of my campers had grown up and moved on. But I couldn’t have been more wrong. Leaving camp this year felt more emotional than ever, so I know where I belong every summer for as long as I can do so.
Time has certainly made the heart grow fonder. I even came with my missus, Jodie, who was just blown away by the entire experience. And she wants to go again, so who am I to deny that?!