The family of Nathan Mayer, 17, will be holding a multi-family garage sale next week to help get their son to the Team USA World Cup wheelchair power soccer event next summer.

 

Tracy and Lisa Mayer — Nathan’s parents — will open their garage doors Wed., Thurs. and Fri. with all proceeds going to help their disabled son play in the sport designed and developed specifically for people of all ages and genders who use a power wheelchair.

 

Nathan, a senior at Monticello High School, has a genetic condition called Spinal Muscular Atrophy that he was born with. It’s a type of muscular dystrophy that affects all major muscles in his body. He has never crawled, nor walked. His breathing and coughing is affected by the condition so he needs lots of machines to breathe — especially when he has even a little cold. He is almost completely reliant on others for care.

 

He began his early mobility with a power wheelchair when he was two and it wasn’t until he turned seven did he hear first hand the idea of playing powerchair soccer. At the time, Nathan was playing t-ball and wasn’t enjoying it as much as he thought he would. He and his family decided to check out the wheelchair soccer and went to Courage Center to check it out.

 

“I was excited!” said Nathan. “A sport for people in power wheelchairs!”

 

At first, the Mayer family — who live in Becker Twp. — assumed the wheelchair soccer was just a recreation sport played once a week on Sundays. However, Nathan was told the wheelchair soccer team was looking at signing up for a tournament in Birmingham, AL and Nathan got very excited.

 

His parents were not so excited and unsure if this was the best idea for their son.

 

Nathan said when he finally got his powerchair equipped with a guard, he instantly fell in love with the sport. The game is played in a gymnasium on a regulation basketball court. Two teams of four athletes in power wheelchairs attack, defend and spin-kick a 13-inch soccer ball in an attempt to score goals.

 

Power Soccer is the fastest growing sport for power wheelchair users. It combines the skill of the person with the speed and power of the chair to create a fun, competitive, and accessible opportunity to play the most popular sport in the world.

 

As Nathan got integrated to the sport and the team, the local squad started moving up the ranks and eventually became three-time champions in the highest level of the sport. In 2012, one of Nathan’s dreams was fulfilled when he was awarded the Golden Guard award for scoring the most goals in a tournament — fifteen!

 

During Nathan’s play with the local team, he heard about Team USA where the best 12 powerchair soccer players in the U.S. practice and play games together across the globe. They’ve played in Japan in 2007 and France in 2011 and won both championships. Another lifetime goal for Nathan was to try and out and make the Team USA squad.

 

However, the team has an age limit of 16, so Nathan had to be patient.

 

So while he waited to grow older, Nathan watched film, spent hours at the gym training and continued to play with his local team. Finally, last year he was able to apply and try out for the team amongst 40 other applicants.

 

Nathan and his dad traveled to Indiana last October for the tryouts and then Nathan had to wait. And wait. And wait.

 

“The next week and a half was the longest in my life,” Nathan said.

 

But then the phone rang and he heard the words he was longing to hear.

 

He made the team.

 

To be part of Team USA, Nathan is expected to attend training camps every other month and be willing to travel extensively in preparation for the World Cup. 

 

All the athletes have to raise their own money to cover expenses and that’s where the Mayer’s multi-family garage sale comes into play. They are hoping to raise nearly $20,000 over the next few months (already raised $10,000 through other fundraisers) to get Nathan participating in his dream sport and to continue to cover his medical expenses and maintain his overall health.

 

Next summer’s World Cup site is yet to be revealed but talk is it could be in Orlando, FL or even somewhere in Australia. 

 

That information is forthcoming. In the meantime, Nathan continues to work out, watch film and play the sport he has fallen in love with.

 

The garage sale this week is from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wed. and Thurs. and from 8 a.m. to noon Friday. The address of the sale is 16949 Riverview Circle SE in Becker Twp.

 

Lots of household items including small appliances, home decor, holiday items, tools, luggage, kids stuff, clothes, books, electronics, craft supplies and much more are available.

 

“I’d be humbled to have your support as I attempt to continue to fulfill my dream,” Nathan says.