Twin Cities/Courage Rolling Gophers/Timberwolves

My first cicade of 2024

Honeywell Defense Systems was a big supporter of wheelchair sports in the Twin Cities and also employed Rick Miller, Mark Knutson and the late Vern Knutson.

Steve Hansen, a Southwest State University alumnus, helped develop the Courage Center sponsored wheelchair sports program in Duluth, Minnesota. This all-around athlete was an excellent basketball player, a superb swimmer, and a down-hill skier, Here he is in 1982 during the slalom event at Spirit Mountain, Duluth. Three individuals loomed large in the organization and conduct of wheelchair sports in Duluth: Dan Byrnes, Mary Schmidt, and Mary Lou Donovan.

Under the leadership of Lynn Rourke, the Rolling Gophers Archery Team was one of the largest and best in the country. The program developed a significant amount of devices that contributed to the success of men and women who had sustained cervical spinal cord injuries. Lynn was the Assistant Director of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Archery Tournament and the Director of the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Archery Team. The program hosted an annual FITA tournament which was open to standing archers as well. Can't remember the archer's name, but I do remember he was from Baudette, Minnesota, 2 blocks from the Arctic Circle. The photo was taken by Courage Center Photographer, Candy Jackson in 1982.

Wheelchair softball in the Twin Cities

Amy Dirnberger on the drive.

Photo by National Wheelchair Basketball Association Hall of Fame member Curt Beamer

Rolling Gophers Men's Basketball Team circa ?