Kyle Maynard to receive Medal of Courage from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame
1/10/2005
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
Kyle Maynard of Georgia, an inspiring young wrestler who has overcome a challenging physical disability and has received considerable national recognition, will receive the Medal of Courage from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
The Medal of Courage is presented annually to a wrestler or former wrestler who has overcome what appear to be insurmountable challenges, which may be physical, mental or other handicaps that make their achievements all the more uplifting.
Kyle was born on March 24, 1986 with a rare disorder called “Congenital Amputation,” leaving him with three joints, a neck and two shoulders. He has no elbows or knees. He measures just over two feet tall, and weighs approximately 103 pounds.
Despite these physical challenges, Maynard has become a successful amateur wrestler, and has inspired thousands of people across the nation with his courage and spirit for living.
On the mats, Maynard became a successful high school wrestler in Georgia, posting a 35-16 record and competing in the 2004 Georgia High School Championships, where he had an impressive 3-2 record. He competed at the NHSCA National Wrestling Championships, and had a tremendous performance, falling just short of All-American status.
Maynard is currently a freshman at the University of Georgia, where he is continuing his wrestling career on the club team that participates in the National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA).
He is a tremendous student, earning a 3.7 GPA while being very active in many clubs and school activities. Along with wrestling, he has participated in swimming, baseball, street hockey and football, all with the aid of prosthesis. He uses his tremendous strength to his advantage in wrestling, and has developed a number of successful wrestling moves that allow him to make the most use of his low center of gravity and power.
Many within wrestling have learned about Maynard through his passionate involvement in the sport on the national level. However, his amazing story has now reached the general public, and his achievements are being reported in the major national media.
The first national coverage of Maynard and his wrestling achievements came on a report featured on HBO Sports in January 2004. Since then, his story has been told on some of the most respected media outlets in the world.
He received an ESPY award, winning the Best Athlete with a Disability Award. Maynard was interviewed on CNN Larry King Live. He was featured in a major Page 1 article in USA Today. He appeared on the Early Show on CBS. He has been featured in Readers Digest and Vanity Fair magazines, as well as on HBO Real Sports, ESPN’s Cold Pizza, the Howard Stern Radio Show and the Judge Hatchett Show.
He was a model for Abercrombie & Fitch, appearing in advertising with his friend and fellow wrestler Cyler Sanderson. He has been honored by the Georgia chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, as well as the Georgia State Wrestling Hall of Fame. He received the President’s Award for Courage from the Humanitarian Hall of Fame.
Maynard has become a sought-after public speaker, sharing his inspiring story with people all across the nation. It is Maynard’s attitude that has captivated the public, and allows him an opportunity to explain his love for wrestling and for life.
One of Kyle’s favorite sayings is “It’s not what I can do, it’s what I will do.” This attitude comes from overcoming numerous failures, having the perseverance to overcome his limitations, with the loving care of his parents. His father stressed self-reliance from the time that Kyle was an infant and it has helped him to reach high achievements ever since.
Maynard is starting work on his first book, to be entitled “No Excuses.” A screenwriter is working on a movie project. He is continuing to be a college student and athlete, while sharing his life and experiences with everybody willing to listen and learn from him.
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