The Power of Never Giving Up with Team USA Paralympian Brian Bell

The Power of Never Giving Up with Brian Bell


In this episode of the Started With A Dream Podcast presented by
9INE POINT, Brian Bell joins our host Jacolby Gilliam as he
recounts his story as a Paralympics gold medalist. Brian is a pro
wheelchair basketball player and 2x Paralympic gold medalist.
Brain shares with us today, his uplifting and inspiring story as
a young athlete that lost a leg and his path to success despite
all odds.


Brian starts off by discussing his dream as a young athlete that
wanted to play football and how this dream changed when he was
involved in an accident that changed his life. He talks about how
he never gave up and how he continues to enjoy sports with a
prosthetic leg. He describes how he found interest in basketball
and decided to go all in despite not being big enough. His motto
“back-to-back cuts to back-to-back goals” motivated Brian to not
only work hard to make the national team but also win gold at the
Paralympics. Brian believes you can achieve anything you set your
heart to do and calls on athletes with disabilities to try
everything and stay determined.


Key Points:


Brian’s goal as a young athlete

A ghastly accident that changed Brian’s life

How Brian processed it all and chose a new path

Enjoying sports with a prosthetic leg

Brian describes his comeback first game; the challenges and
the thrills that came with it

You have to try everything as a young athlete with a
disability

Finding love in another sport

Take advantage of the tools put in place to improve your
skill

Brian discusses deciding to go pro

The power of teamwork and dedication

Shining the light on adaptive sports 

Brian’s advice to his younger self

Brian describes his experience after making the USA team

Winning gold at the 2016 Paralympics




Quotes:


“Finding sports again, and that support network from friends and
family helped tremendously.”


“If you're younger and you have a disability, I will say just try
everything.”


“I try to maximize as much of my flaws as possible to be a more
well-rounded basketball player.”


“Back-to-back cuts to back-to-back goals.”


“If you really want to accomplish it, put in the extra work, make
sure that you put in all the hours, make sure that you maximize
all of the different areas that you can use to increase skills.”


“Even though I was not the biggest guy out there, I was able to
use my speed, my skills, and intelligence, to level out some of
the more fiscally gifted athletes or older athletes at the time.”


“I am going to represent my country at the world stage and be
able to compete against the best of the best in my sport. It was
just a surreal, amazing feeling.”


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