The right golf equipment has been a gamechanger for Ryan Straschnitzki. He was paralyzed from the chest down in the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash. Teeing off in his wheelchair was difficult, but a Paragolfer — an all-terrain mobility vehicle that raises him into a standing position — has given him freedom. “(It) allows me to move around, stand-up and play golf independently and it means the world,” Straschnitzki said. The 27-year-old now plays golf with one arm but he says not everything has changed. “I thought getting into this machine would help my score, but that’s something I still need to work on.” The Straz Strong Foundation Invitational Golf Tournament took place Friday, which is one of many charity events that raises money to give others the same opportunities. “I’m really enjoying it, growing the sport to try to get more people involved, hopefully getting more machines through Alberta so more people can use it,” he said. That’s important because without help many people would not be able to participate in many of the sports Straz has including sledge hockey and wheelchair basketball. Parasports are a lot more expensive — with equipment costing anywhere from $3,000 to $15,000. “(It’s) pretty inaccessible, so through our foundation our aim is to remove those financial barriers,” Straschnitzki said. Events like the golf tournament also encourage everyone to try something new, including taking part in a one-arm drive challenge. Getting back into a sport, or starting a new one can be intimidating, especially if you have a disability. “I think a lot of people just don’t really know where to start,” said Brayden Waterman, the high-performance director with Wheelchair Sports Alberta. “We’re here to help them find a community and family and help them get into something that they might really enjoy.” Straschnitzki hopes more Albertans get involved “just (by) having fun and being part of a community.” Straz Strong will award up to a dozen grants to help community programs and individual athletes. Teeing off isn’t the only driving Straschnitzki is focusing on. He is heading to Morrocco at the end of September to explore other adaptive sport opportunities with the Rallye du Marco rally-raid. “It doesn’t really exist in North America for adaptive racers so I’m hoping to push the needle forward and get going,” he said. Straz Strong is accepting grant applications until Oct. 1. Applications are reviewed based on public impact for community grants and on individual potential, commitment and goals for high-performance grants. Applicants can learn more information here.
