Teen Wheelchair Athlete Ups His Game

By MARY STEGMEIR, mary.stegmeir@wcfcourier.com

CEDAR FALLS --- When a neighbor asked Jon Litzkow five years ago to attend an athletic camp, the youngster's first response was: "Who? Me?"

A childhood accident had left the Waterloo boy, now 15, paralyzed from the waist down. For as long as he could remember, Litzkow had used a wheelchair to get from place to place.

"I didn't think I'd be any good at it," the teen confessed. "I didn't think I could really do sports."

But a week at the University of Northern Iowa's Wheelchair Sports Camp proved Litzkow wrong. He left the program with a racing chair and a desire to push himself to the limit. This spring, as a West High School freshman, Litzkow was one of two Iowa wheelchair athletes to participate in the state track and field meet.

He hopes his successes encourage other kids with disabilities to get out and get active.

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