Kyle Maynard, ESPN 2004 ESPY Award Winner, To Be Spring 2007 Lecture Speaker
Kyle Maynard will be the speaker for College of the Southwest's Spring 2007 Lecture. He will take the stage at Tydings Auditorium on the Hobbs High School campus, located at 800 North Jefferson, on Thursday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Faced with impossible challenges, Kyle Maynard lives life with no excuses. He was born with a condition known as congenital amputation that has left him with arms that end at the elbows and legs that end near his knees. But that didn't stop him from becoming a champion, on the wrestling mat and in his life.
Kyle's story begins as a 12 year old that wanted to wrestle and a coach that gave him an opportunity to try. After losing every single match his first year and most his second, Kyle, a competitor to the core, with the support of his coach, became a very successful varsity wrestler on one of the best teams in the Southeast. In his 7th and final season of wrestling, Kyle made the varsity line up for the first time and finished the season with 36 wins and 18 losses. He was runner-up in the Regional and one match away from placing in the State tournament. In spite of his limitations, Kyle found a way to win, while defeating several state place finishers and state champions during his final season.
Kyle's accomplishments roam far beyond the wrestling mat. With basically two elbows, he can type up to fifty words per minute, eat and write without any adaptations, and drives a vehicle that has little modification. He has modeled for Abercrombie & Fitch. In addition, Kyle began weight training as a youngster and with leather straps and chains attached to his arms, he can now lift nearly 400 lbs. In November 2003, he attained the unofficial title of the World's Strongest Teen at the GNC Show-of-Strength by doing 23 repetitions of 230 lbs. In 2005, broke the world record in the modified bench press at the Arnold Fitness Classic by lifting 360 pounds.
Featured on CNN, HBO, Spike TV, WAM, Oprah, countless local and regional television shows and print stories, including an article in Vanity Fair, Kyle's story has been an inspiration to countless people across the country and around the world. It has not been a stellar wrestling record that has led Kyle to motivate individuals he comes across, but rather the indomitable and determined spirit with which he approaches life.
Kyle gives the credit for the triumphs he has experienced in life to his faith in God, his parents, and his wrestling coach, Cliff Ramos. His life has been full with obstacles but none too daunting to stop his tenacious drive for life.
After meeting Kyle, you will find it difficult to complain about life's barriers and insignificant problems. Bernard Goldberg, HBO Real Sports correspondent, sums it up best: "Kyle has taken away the right for us to complain."
Kyle is the author of No Excuses, a New York Times best seller, which chronicles his inspiring story of his battle against the odds. His book will be available for purchase at the presentation and he will available to sign books after the event.
Kyle is the ESPN 2004 ESPY Award Winner (Best Athlete with a Disability), and was included in ESPN The Magazine ESPN 100 - the single list that ranks the top 100 sports personalities, moments, trends, games and stories that mattered in 2004. He is also the recipient of the 2004 President's Award for the Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame.