Nothing can keep 11-year-old Trent Clayton of Crescent down.
He was diagnosed with hemiplegic cerebral palsy around the age of 1, which makes the muscles on the right side of his body weak, resulting in foot drop paralysis.
But Trent didn’t let the disorder stop him from pursuing his passion — running.
He now holds the national record in the “under 11” age group in long jump and discus throw as designated by Wheelchair & Ambulatory Sports USA, and was recently appointed to Allard USA’s TeamUP, the only national team of people with foot drop paralysis.
Each of the 12 team members faces paralysis in one or both of their lower legs, ankles or feet, a condition known as foot drop. Trent is the first child to join the team since its inception in 2013.
“It’s a great opportunity for him,” said Darla Clayton, Trent’s mother. “It gives him a platform to share his love of sports with other kids. When you see all the success he’s had, you just want to share it with other people.”
The TeamUP members’ participation in athletic events and public education efforts support its Get Back UP Today movement, which is designed to encourage others with foot drop to overcome mobility issues and take back their lives.
Trent will be a junior co-captain and will be spreading awareness of foot drop and encouraging other people with disabilities to get back up after an injury, he said. He plans to create a Facebook page and will be posting video blogs for the Children’s Hemiplegia and Stroke Association to show other children the adaptations that he makes, including demonstrating the use of a brace.
Trent and each of the TeamUP members have overcome their limited mobility with technologically advanced, carbon fiber orthotic devices made by Allard USA, known as the ToeOFF® family of braces.
He started wearing the brace three years ago, and Mrs. Clayton said it has made a big difference.
A sixth-grader at Moon Middle School, Trent enjoys participating in numerous sports, including running, swimming, long-jumping, archery, shot-putting, javelin and discus throw. His favorite event is the 60-meter run because it is a short race, he said, and he can run as fast as he can.
Trent will be promoting TeamUP as he competes with Strong as Steel Adaptive Sports, a competitive team that provides sport-specific training and opportunities for children ages 5 to 21 with physical disabilities, which he and Mrs. Clayton co-founded in 2011.
“We are super excited,” Mrs. Clayton said. “It’s a really big deal. We think Trent’s awesome, but it’s nice that other people think he’s awesome, too.”
Information: http://getbackuptoday.com.
Shannon M. Nass, freelance writer: suburbanliving@post-gazette.com.
First Published: February 20, 2015, 5:00 a.m.