Matt Brown (track and field athlete)
Encyclopedia
Matthew S. Brown, known as Matt P.F. Brown (born November 24, 1976), is a football
and track and field
coach at Idalou High School
in Idalou
in Lubbock County, Texas
, who is a gold and bronze winner in the Parapan American Games
. Brown's left leg was amputated above the knee because of an accidental industrial explosion in December 2005.
In September 2007, Brown won a gold medal in the discus
, having set a record throw of 154 feet and 9 inches, and a bronze in the shot put
at the Parapan games held in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. He has also competed in the Paralympic Games
in Beijing, China in 2008, where he finished fourth in the men's discus. The Parapan and Paralympic competitions are held every four years.
Brown graduated from Idalou High School, where he played football, basketball, baseball, and competed in track and field. He was an All-State tight end in football, All-District center in basketball, and a two-time state champion in the discus and shot put. He graduated from Wayland Baptist University
in Plainview
, the seat of Hale County
, north of Lubbock
. He played football at Wayland for two years and was an All-American in track and field there. He now coaches both sports at his alma mater
.
Brown trains for competition six days per week for three to four hours daily. His goal is to win two gold medals and to break the world record in discus, which is 47.81 meters. "I have a chance to break the record, and I think I can do it," Brown said in a 2008 interview with the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
.
He has prosthetic legs for both walking and running. He has nerve pain caused from the trauma of the explosion. He must also obtain regular service maintenance of his limbs through a health-care company in Lubbock.
Brown said that community support for his competition has been "unbelievable". The Idalou Independent School District allowed him to miss several weeks for the competition in China, to which he was accompanied by his parents, Charles N. and Janet Ladell Brown. Mrs. Brown said that the tragedy of losing his leg strengthened her son’s Christian faith. "It's been a wonderful opportunity to witness and show other people that through God's help life continues on even in the face of adversity ... and that life can be a better life," she told the Avalanche-Journal. She describes Matt as an inspiration to the students he coaches at Idalou because he is not "angry with God about the loss of his leg but has grown in spirituality." Brown said that he never expected to go to China: "Losing my leg has been a blessing in disguise, and I just want to do the best I can."
Brown’s story was carried in 2008 and repeated in 2009 in a segment entitled "Discus Discussion" of Bob Phillips
’s syndicated anthology television series, Texas Country Reporter
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
coach at Idalou High School
Idalou Independent School District
Idalou Independent School District is a public school district based in Idalou, Texas that serves students in northeastern Lubbock County....
in Idalou
Idalou, Texas
Idalou is a city in Lubbock County, Texas, United States. It is located 7 miles northeast of Lubbock near the intersection of Farm to Market Road 400 and US 62/US 82/SH 114. The population was 2,157 at the 2000 census...
in Lubbock County, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, who is a gold and bronze winner in the Parapan American Games
Parapan American Games
The Parapan American Games is a multi-sport event held every four years after every Pan American Games for athletes with physical disabilities. The first Games was held in 1999 in Mexico City, Mexico...
. Brown's left leg was amputated above the knee because of an accidental industrial explosion in December 2005.
In September 2007, Brown won a gold medal in the discus
Discus
Discus, "disk" in Latin, may refer to:* Discus , a progressive rock band from Indonesia* Discus , a fictional character from the Marvel Comics Universe and enemy of Luke Cage* Discus , a freshwater fish popular with aquarium keepers...
, having set a record throw of 154 feet and 9 inches, and a bronze in the shot put
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
at the Parapan games held in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. He has also competed in the Paralympic Games
Paralympic Games
The Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event where athletes with a physical disability compete; this includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and Cerebral Palsy. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which are held immediately following their...
in Beijing, China in 2008, where he finished fourth in the men's discus. The Parapan and Paralympic competitions are held every four years.
Brown graduated from Idalou High School, where he played football, basketball, baseball, and competed in track and field. He was an All-State tight end in football, All-District center in basketball, and a two-time state champion in the discus and shot put. He graduated from Wayland Baptist University
Wayland Baptist University
Wayland Baptist University is private, coeducational Baptist university based in Plainview, Texas, U.S.A. Wayland Baptist has a total of fourteen campuses in four additional Texas cities, five other states, and the country of Kenya. On August 31, 1908, the university was chartered by the state of...
in Plainview
Plainview, Texas
Plainview is a city in and the county seat of Hale County, Texas, United States. The population was 22,336 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Plainview is located at ....
, the seat of Hale County
Hale County, Texas
Hale County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 36,602. It was organized in 1888, and is named for Lt. John C. Hale, a hero of the Battle of San Jacinto. The seat of the county is Plainview. It is home of the noted former Hale County Judge, Judge Bill...
, north of Lubbock
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
. He played football at Wayland for two years and was an All-American in track and field there. He now coaches both sports at his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
.
Brown trains for competition six days per week for three to four hours daily. His goal is to win two gold medals and to break the world record in discus, which is 47.81 meters. "I have a chance to break the record, and I think I can do it," Brown said in a 2008 interview with the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal is a newspaper based in Lubbock, Texas, U.S. It is owned by the Morris Communications Company.-History:The Lubbock Avalanche was founded in 1900 by John James Dillard and Thad Tubbs. According to Dillard, the name "Avalanche" was chosen due to his desire that the...
.
He has prosthetic legs for both walking and running. He has nerve pain caused from the trauma of the explosion. He must also obtain regular service maintenance of his limbs through a health-care company in Lubbock.
Brown said that community support for his competition has been "unbelievable". The Idalou Independent School District allowed him to miss several weeks for the competition in China, to which he was accompanied by his parents, Charles N. and Janet Ladell Brown. Mrs. Brown said that the tragedy of losing his leg strengthened her son’s Christian faith. "It's been a wonderful opportunity to witness and show other people that through God's help life continues on even in the face of adversity ... and that life can be a better life," she told the Avalanche-Journal. She describes Matt as an inspiration to the students he coaches at Idalou because he is not "angry with God about the loss of his leg but has grown in spirituality." Brown said that he never expected to go to China: "Losing my leg has been a blessing in disguise, and I just want to do the best I can."
Brown’s story was carried in 2008 and repeated in 2009 in a segment entitled "Discus Discussion" of Bob Phillips
Bob Phillips
Robert Leon Phillips, known as Bob Phillips , is an American television journalist best known for his long-running program Texas Country Reporter...
’s syndicated anthology television series, Texas Country Reporter
Texas Country Reporter
Texas Country Reporter is a weekly syndicated television program hosted and produced by Bob Phillips. It airs in all 22 Texas media markets, generally on weekends, and reruns are broadcast nationally on the satellite/cable channel RFD-TV...
.