Kevin Saunders - About - There's Always a Way - Never Give Up!

About Kevin's work with The President's Council on Physical Fitness

In October, Kevin Saunders (Downs, Kansas) became the first person with a disability in its 35-year history to be named to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS). Senate Republican Leader Bob Dole (KS) introduced Saunders, a world renown wheelchair athlete, to then President George Bush, and personally requested that the President appoint Saunders to the PCPFS. The White House accepted Dole's recommendation for appointment to the high-profile panel chaired by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

When the new administration was elected, I was honored to be the only person reappointed to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports by President Clinton to serve again on the President’s Council on Physical Fitness, where I remained for both terms of his presidency. I found him to be not only a bright, charismatic leader, but also a warm and friendly person. Moreover, he believed in our goals. He said he wanted each American to have more dedication to their families, themselves, their communities, and their country. Along with this, the President also impressed upon me what he expected from each member of The President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports, and what a tremendous responsibility it was. He offered this as an encouragement, rather than a challenge. He communicated his faith in my ability to go above and beyond the call of duty to find a way to get the job done the right way. I’m proud to say that under his leadership, we continued to make progress on fitness as a public issue, working with the Surgeon General to help establish the warning label that states “The lack of physical activity may be hazardous to your health.”

The appointment to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness came because Bill Clinton and I really enjoyed stimulating conversations and visiting with one another. President Clinton has great respect for someone could achieve with a disability when they were completely paralyzed from the chest down (with no core balance) like me. This ended up being one of the big springboards in my life as a motivational coach and inspirational speaker, college speaker, business speaker, inspirational coach, corporate speaker, business safety speaker, corporate safety speaker, church speaker or christian speaker and an expert on overcoming adversity. It gave me the continuing opportunities with President Clinton's President's Council on Physical Fitness & Sports to talk to thousands of schools, organizations, groups and sports teams like football teams, basketball teams, track & field and rugby teams around the country that I might not have been able to without it. Being a motivational speaker and coach, church speaker, college speaker, corporate speaker, inspirational speaker, and safety speaker is something I love doing and especially doing school tours promoting individual student responsibility for fitness, financial, academic and food choices to be and become a thrilling contributor to their community and not a dependent on it! And education in the areas of academics, how to eat right, what kind of cardio exercise, strength training and plyometric training you need is important to help you become a success not only in school but in life. This is a huge part of what I do now.

Paralyzed from the chest down more than a decade ago in a tragic grain elevator explosion, Saunders has overcome adversity. Through extensive exercise and weight training programs he worked hard to become a Paralympic medallist in Seoul and Barcelona. Saunders, a graduate of Kansas State University, competes in marathons, is a four-time Pan American games gold medallist and multiple world record holder, and earned the title of the best All Around Athlete when he set a world pentathlon record during the 1990 World Championships in Assen, Netherlands.

Saunders is the founder of the Wheelchair Success Fund to give other individuals in wheelchairs support and motivation they need to get involved and contribute to their communities. His Live Your Dreams project takes him into schools and hospitals nationwide where he shares his inspirational message with young people, gives out gold medals to encourage youngsters to stay in school, and helps those in hospitals turn their negatives into positives.

Saunders first demonstrated his tremendous civic pride and generosity when, from his accident settlement, he donated a running track to his old high school in Downs, KS. The upgraded facilities were instrumental in the high school track team winning the state championship.

Dole said of Saunders, "Kevin has beaten all the odds to become one of the premier athletes in the world. This dynamic man from the heartland of America is also one of the most inspirational people I have ever met. As a member of the President's Council on Physical Fitness, Kevin will now join forces with Arnold Schwarzenegger to spread his uplifting message of self-improvement, hard work, and hope. Thanks to Kevin, more Americans--able and disabled alike--will be inspired to reach their fullest potential." In a statement at the time of his appointment, Saunders said, "There is some level of physical fitness that can be attained by everyone. People with disabilities have just as much right to achieve physical fitness as anyone else. I will strive to represent the needs of these Americans. I accept this appointment as a challenge to inspire all people to take an active role in achieving health and fitness."

Jan Wilson (Colorado Springs, Colorado) has been named Coordinator of Disabled Sports Programs for the United States Olympic Committee, becoming the first full-time person devoted to sports programs for persons with disabilities. Wilson, who worked as the Summer Competition Manager for the National Handicapped Sports organization in Colorado Springs since January, 1991, will serve as liaison overseeing grants and athlete assistance programs, coordinating U.S. Paralympic Team programs, and monitoring government issues for the seven disabled sports organizations within USOC.

Wilson, a former elite disabled athlete herself, has also worked as executive director of the U.S. Amputee Athletic Association (Charlotte, NC) (1989-90), as supervisor for Jefferson Pilot Life Insurance (Greensboro, NC) (1985-89), and as a home health services social worker for the Forsyth Country Department of Social Services (Winston-Salem, NC) (1981-85). She received her bachelor of arts degree in sociology from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro in 1978 and has also pursued a master's degree in adapted physical education from UNC-Greensboro.