Urban Teen Magazine Jan/Feb 2015 | Page 34

Sports Paralympic Alpine Skier breaks barriers on the slopes (BPT) - Ralph Green was a well-rounded junior athlete. He excelled as a football quarterback and basketball point guard for his high school in Brooklyn, N.Y. His life dramatically changed at the age of 15 when a gunshot wound in the back resulted in the amputation of his left leg 34 from the hip down. Today, Green, 36, is the first African-American male to make the U.S. Paralympic Alpine Skiing National Team. A two-time Paralympian, Green, took a moment to reflect on his career and future aspirations before heading to Sochi to compete for Team USA at the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games. www.urbanteenmagazine.com