Champion athlete holds on to his dreams

SEC (Southeastern Conference) Champion Dave Denniston




By Larry Caballero

Growing up in Wyoming and liking sports was a challenge for NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) and SEC (Southeastern Conference) Champion Dave Denniston. “There weren’t any good local sports teams to watch, so I watched a lot of television and fell in love with Michael Jordan.”
Denniston shared his life story with students May 26 at a school assembly at Walker Junior High in La Palma where he encouraged them to “not let go of the dreams you have.” His dreams were to become a world-class athlete and make lots of money—just like Michael Jordan.
“I wanted to own everything that had the Jordan logo including a pair of $140 Michael Jordan shoes.” His mother said no and he settled for a pair bought at the local PayLess store.
His dream was to become an Olympic swimmer like Michael Phelps. Unfortunately, he never made the cut. “I have met him, though, and I can still beat him—in Scrabble.” Even so, he was good enough to be a USA National Team swimmer and was asked by Nike to advertise their products—including wearing a pair of Nike shoes. His dream seemed to be coming true.
Unfortunately, his dream came to an end on that fateful day in 2005 when a sledding accident in Wyoming paralyzed him from the waist down. “I was speeding 50-60 mph down a hill when I lost control and hit a tree. I started coughing up blood and I had no feeling in my legs. I had broken my back.” Since then, he has established himself as a leading Ambassador for disabled sports in the United States.
“The accident was the best thing that could have happened to me because I learned a lot about myself. I learned that our bodies are not really that strong after all and yet we are the dominant species on earth.” He realized that it’s our minds that distinguish us from the other species.
“There are two groups of people in this world—the people who sit in a corner and cry why me, and the other group made up of people who understand that any obstacle is part of life, and they’ll get through it. It’s all about having an amazing attitude.”
Winner of the 2007 NCAA Inspiration Award and the 2009 Christopher and Dana Reeves Inspiration Award, he has had his story covered by NBC, Sports Illustrated and the Denver Post.
In 2008 he was the Captain for the U.S. Paralympic swim team in Beijing. Now, he lives in Colorado Springs where he is an athlete/coach for its paralympic swim team. He is a seven-time SEC Champion and a 15-time NCAA All-American.
He received a communications degree from Auburn University, and now he is a renowned inspirational speaker who puts his degree to use as he shares his story across the country.
When he’s not in the pool, Denniston is an active community leader, supporting both at-risk and disabled youth through a number of different charities and events including Relay Across America, the AT&T Foundation and the Fitter & Faster Tour.
“My ultimate goal remains to bring positive attention to the disabled athletes who receive so little renown and opportunity in return for their hard work and dedication.” Denniston reminded the students that they should not wait for an accident to start appreciating life. “Keep your chest high and your chin up and remember that it’s your character that defines who you are.”