Don’t tell Nick Rogers he can’t do something, because he’ll prove you wrong at every turn, whether that turn is in his personal life or on the track.
The Lisbon senior sprinter has had to overcome adversity literally since birth when he was born without fully formed fibulas on both legs, a medical condition known as bilateral fibular hemimelia. Paralympians Oscar Pistorius, Aimee Mullins and Jessica Long were born with the same condition.
Rogers’ birth defect caused his feet to be deformed and both his legs were amputated when he was just 1 as a result. He’s worn prosthetics ever since and his outlook on life has remained positive.
“I’ve never thought about it,” Rogers said. “I’ve never thought of myself as handicapped. I’ve always been the kid that people have told me I couldn’t do something, and I went out and did it.”
Rogers, 18, said he’s had roughly 17-18 different pairs of prosthetic legs as he’s grown. When he stops growing, Rogers said he’ll still receive new pairs of prosthetic legs every 2-3 years.
It wasn’t until his sophomore year of high school where Rogers took up running. The thought was put into his mind by members of the Never Say Never foundation during an annual visit to Camp No Limits in Rome, Maine.
Camp No Limits is a non-profit organization and the “only camp for young people with limb loss and their families,” according to its website. The goal of Camp No Limits is to “educate and empower young people with limb loss to discover and develop a healthy, happy and independent lifestyle.” The inaugural camp, stationed in Rome, started in August 2004 and has since expanded to nine states, stretching from Maine to California.
Rogers took their idea to heart and joined the Greyhounds track and field team, which had won seven straight Mountain Valley Conference titles at that point. He used his walking legs, or his standard prosthetics, his first year while competing in the 100-meter dash. His fastest time came in at 15.30 seconds.
After hearing how Rogers performed in his first season on the track, the Never Say Never foundation gave the Lisbon senior the surprise of his life on his next visit to Camp No Limits the following year. There, the Never Say Never foundation presented him a pair of running blades that Rogers now uses to compete.
“I’m so thankful for them because without all this I never would have realized my potential and be able to do all these incredible things,” Rogers said.
The Never Say Never foundation, based out of Ocala, Fla., is a non-profit organization that helps disabled youth overcome adversity with the goal of “pushing the limit of adaptive sports and showing the world that anything is possible,” according to its website. The Never Say Never foundation serves as Rogers’ sponsor, flying him around the country to compete in track meets.
One of Rogers’ most memorable moments came not long after receiving the new running blades. He and a friend, Oxford Hills graduate Josh Kennison, a quadriplegic amputee from Norway, Maine, and a paralympic runner who was also born without a tongue and part of his jaw, drove down to Florida to compete in an event at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Kissimmee.
Among the first things he saw when walking into the complex were members of the Boston Red Sox and Miami Marlins, who were playing a spring game not more than a few hundred yards from the track facility. The whole experience was exciting, but at the same time nerve-wracking. Not to mention that the track meet was being streamed online.
“It was the most terrifying moment of my life because at the time it was on ESPN3 and I didn’t know that going into it,” Rogers said. “I was 17 and I was a junior in high school and I was running in the fast heat of the college men’s 100, and I was so scared but all I kept thinking was it’s just me and the track because I wasn’t trying to beat them. I was just trying to go out there and do my best and try to get a good time. That’s really stuck with me. I think it’s more important rather than winning to just go out there and do your best. Crossing the finish line and just knowing you did your best and left it all on the track and that feeling of satisfaction.”
Rogers always knew he had the potential for greatness in the sport, but it came to fruition last summer when he traveled to Edmond, Okla., to compete in the Endeavor Games hosted by the University of Central Oklahoma. The Endeavor Games are a nationally recognized competition that allows athletes with physical disabilities the opportunity to compete in a multi-sport event.
Rogers earned All-American status in the 200, finishing the dash in 24.85.
At the high school level, Rogers saw his time in the 100 fall dramatically. He went from a 15.30 with his walking legs to a 12.36 with the running blades. Rogers shaved nearly three seconds off his originally best time despite having issues with his blades. As he explained it, his blades weren’t set up correctly.
“A lot of it has to do with, not only my form, but the blades have to be perfect because the blade has to come down right under you and propel you forward,” Rogers said. “My blades were set up all wrong. I was landing four inches back and you don’t get the full spring out of the leg.”
The Never Say Never foundation took care of that, flying him to Boston earlier this year to get his sockets redone. He hasn’t had any issues since then.
The Never Say Never foundation has had a dramatic impact on Rogers’ life, and he is looking forward to giving back to them in the future.
“They’re life-changing,” Rogers said. “I’d never be able to do any of these things without them. During the Moxie Festival I’m going to be doing a fundraiser for them. I’m going to get a booth and I’m also going to be doing the 5K and get pledges for the 5k just for my way to give back to them because they’ve done so much for me.”
Rogers doesn’t shy away from a challenge and despite running track for just two years, he’s set his sights on the ultimate prize: Rio 2016. Rogers is hoping to qualify for the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from Sept. 7-18. He’ll get his first crack at qualifying in July when he travels to Toronto, Canada, to compete in the Pan-Am games.
Rogers is looking to trim his 100 time down somewhere between low 11 seconds or high 10 seconds. He has thought about heading to Florida next winter to allow himself the opportunity to train year round outdoors.
But that’s in the future. The focus right now for Rogers is finishing out his senior year with the Lisbon track team and graduating in June. In Lisbon’s first home meet in 14 years, Rogers finished seventh in the 100 in 13.46 and eighth in the 200 in 27.54.
“He’s a great kid to coach, very easy,” Lisbon coach Dean Hall said. “It’s a struggle at times for him to do certain things, but he does it with a smile.”
Rogers’ track career is nice, but he said his grandparents, who he moved in with when he was 14, are more looking forward to seeing him graduate. Rogers said his grandmother has always stressed the importance of grades over athletics.
Rogers said growing up he lived in a “broken home,” with drugs and alcohol being the primary culprits. He made the difficult decision to move in with his grandparents to remove himself from the situation in what he referred to as “the best decision I’ve ever made in my life.”
His grandparents have always played a major role in his life.
“They’ve never given up on me,” Rogers said. “My grandmother always keeping at me to get my work done and stay focused on my goals. Not letting me fall back into that darkness and the chaos.”
When he does walk across the stage, track will take the spotlight from there. He’s hoping it could lead to a track scholarship down the road. He’s toyed with the idea of taking online classes in the meantime.
If the track route doesn’t work out, he has backup plans in place.
“I’d like to be a motivational speaker one day,” Rogers said. “That would be amazing, but I’d also really like to be a big part of the Never Say Never foundation because they’ve done so much for me. It feels good to be able to give back to them and also with all the good things they do, I’d love to be part of it.”
Whatever the future holds for Rogers, he’ll tackle it the same way he’s tackled life up to this point: with a positive attitude and a smile on his face.
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