Joe North, Ellen Renfroe Reed, Brandon Rowland, Dexter Williams and Jeff Wyatt are the newest members of the Jackson-Madison County Sports Hall of Fame.
The five will become the 34th class inducted when ceremonies are held at the Carl Perkins Civic Center at 6:30 p.m., April 18.
NEWS/TALK 101.5 FM & WNWS.COM visited with Brandon Rowland for a Question and Answer session.
Viewed as an exceptional individual, Brandon Rowland faced a multitude of serious medical problems before he was seven years old.
The severity of his issues resulted in bilateral lower extremity amputations, and about a nine week stay at Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center in Memphis.
His determination has led him to back-to-back National Wheelchair Basketball Association championships, and three national titles in his division in National Amputee Golf Association tournaments.
Question: First, we need some background information. You are a native of Jackson, but tell us about your family, education and employment.
Answer: I’m 38 years old, and my wife is Sara (Pennington). I graduated from USJ in 1999, and earned my undergraduate and MBA from UT-Martin.
I work in Business Development for Fourroux Prosthetics.
My hobbies are golf, hunting, fishing and traveling.
Question: Did you know you had been nominated for induction into the hall; how did you learn you had been elected and what were your thoughts when you first received word of your selection?
Answer: I knew something was up when my dad (Jim) called and was asking me about when our basketball team won championships, and asked me about the golf stuff. He later told me Dr. Bobby Higgs wanted to nominate me, and I appreciated that.
Charlie Garrett (Jackson-Madison County Sports Hall of Fame board member) called and told me I had been selected. Obviously, I was pretty excited. I was thankful to be considered and even more thankful to be selected.
Question: You have overcome numerous obstacles in your life to reach the Hall of Fame. Is there any one particular event or moment you can point to that is the most satisfying?
Answer: Fortunately, there are too many to choose from. I have been blessed to be a part of so many.
The most satisfying moment that I have is not really a Hall of Fame moment, but I made a hole-in-one a couple of years ago.
I was with my dad at The Greenbrier, that made it even more special. I thought it was never going to happen, and it finally did!
NOTE: The Greenbrier is recognized as ‘America’s Resort,’ and is located in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.
Question: What are the activities that keep you busy today?
Answer: Work and golf. I still fish a little, but not as much as I would like.
Question: Considering the number of events you have participated in, how difficult was the adjustment at first, and have you surprise yourself at what you have accomplished?
Answer: I always played all sports and I love competing. I grew up playing sports with “normal” kids running around on my knees. Baseball, basketball, tennis, and soccer. As I got older, everybody else kept growing and getting faster, and I did not.
Luckily, I found wheelchair basketball and started playing a little bit of golf. The transition to basketball was pretty natural – I had been shooting a ball from my knees my whole life.
Also, I had been in and out of a wheelchair for a variety of reasons, so I had some experience with that aspect as well. I needed to learn some nuances of the game, and my coach and teammates helped me with that very quickly.
I am certainly thankful for things we accomplished as teams, and for what I have been able to do in golf. I have never really kept stock of what I have accomplished, (but) it was kind of interesting to see it all on paper.
I was/am more about winning than anything else.
Question: Education in your home has always been stressed, but when did you feel a quality education was very important?
Answer: The irony is that my dad always told me that academics would be my way to college and future success, but I ended up with multiple offers to play collegiate wheelchair basketball.
I always thought that was funny. But, seriously, I knew from an early age that education was my best bet.
I also get to use my “amputee education” in my job, to help others not go through some of the same things I did, because I did not know any better.
(PHOTO: Brandon Rowland)
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