Goalball Paralympian will discuss Tokyo experiences during Adrian College’s Spring Convocation
Posted Monday, February 21, 2022
Author: Mickey Alvarado
Paralympian and high school math/physics teacher John Kusku will be the guest speaker for Adrian College’s Spring Convocation at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 22, in Dawson Auditorium. This free event is open to the public.
During the event, Adrian College’s Office of Academic Affairs will present the following awards: The Ross Newsom Award for Outstanding Teaching; The Exemplary Teaching Excellence Award; and The Creative Activity, Research, and Scholarship Award.
Adrian College’s Academic Services department will present: The Disability Awareness Faculty and Staff Award; The Disability Awareness Student Award; and The Steven M. Piorkowski Memorial Scholarship.
Kusku’s speech is titled, “Goalball, The Paralympics, Non-discernible Disability, and More!” He was born in Warren, Mich. with a hereditary degenerative retinal disease and is legally blind, with less than one degree of vision left in each eye.
As a boy, Kusku was introduced to goalball at a Sports Education Camp hosted by the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes at Western Michigan University. He went on to become a member of the 2016 Silver Medal Paralympic Goalball team and also competed in the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, where the USA men’s team placed fourth.
“It is hard to find words to express what it was like to play for USA...” Kusku said in an interview with the United States Association of Blind Athletes. “So many conflicting emotions hit me after every single game. I walked off the court in tears every time. I was also very overcome with emotion during the entry parade for the opening ceremony.”
His wife, Jessica, coaches his club team, Michigan Omega, and his son, George, is one of his biggest fans.
“George is one of my prime motivators,” John said. “In many ways, his excitement for my elite goalball competitions motivates me to set lofty goals and train hard.”
John participated in the World Championships twice, placing fifth in 2018 after earning a bronze medal in 2014.
He graduated from Western Michigan University with a Bachelor of Mathematics and Physics Secondary Education (’07) and a Master of Arts in Mathematics (’09). John currently teaches at the Oakland Schools Technical Southwest Campus in Wixom.
For more information about the Adrian College event, email academicaffairs@adrian.edu or academicservices@adrian.edu.
