He took up swimming competitively and joined the local
disabled swimming club the Warnbro Pelicans. He then
found out about the World Dwarf Games, but to take part
you had to be a member of an affiliated club. He joined the
Rockingham Stingrays, a non-disability club, and started
training in earnest.
Unfortunately his training was halted by an operation to
release the nerves at the base of his spine. At the same time
his doctor also decided to stabilise his spine, using 15 rods.
It is hoped this will prevent the need for further surgery as he
gets older.
Sam couldn't swim for six months, but a strict regime of rehabilitation saw him get back in the water. The
surgery and rehabilitation meant he missed two selections, but finally in January he was chosen to
represent Australia at the Games. He was the only representative from Western Australia and one of the
youngest competitors on the team.
While there he also took part in hockey. He hadn't played before and Australia didn't have a team entered,
but they quickly put a team together so that people could play.
Sadly in Western Australia there aren't many sporting opportunities for people with dwarfism. They can be
excluded from some sports and there aren't any specific teams or competitions for them. For Sam the
Games were an eye opener and have inspired him further.
He said I can do anything I put my mind to and I can compete at any level I want - having dwarfism is no
big deal.
At the Games he met many other people of all ages and
backgrounds with different variations of bone disorders who showed
that the condition is no barrier to success. Young children were
involved and older adults took part in the Masters Games. The
competition and camaraderie was fantastic. He made a lot of new
friends and is hoping to go to an American Convention for Short
Statured People as they are said to be amazing. And he has plans
to compete in the next Games in four years.
October is National Dwarfism Awareness Month and in a recent
interview with the Sound Telegraph Sam said he was just like
anyone else and had the same hopes, dreams and fears as other
teenagers. He was happy to talk to people about his condition and
wanted them to ask him any questions they had.
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