There's not much of anything that gets in John Powell's way.
The 61-year-old competes in the NRA's disabled shooting program and took second in the nation last year. At a recent competition in Houston, he finished second overall in the air rifle shooting and third in obstacle courses and wall climbing. He also took fifth in the disabled division of the Houston marathon.
And he's a second alternate on the U.S. Paralympic wheelchair curling team, set to compete in Vancouver this month.
"I just like the challenge," said Powell, a member of the Dallas 5th Ward, Dallas Texas East Stake. "I haven't met a challenge yet I didn't like."
When he was much younger, Powell played basketball, bowled, hunted and was an archer.
Then, in the mid-1980s a fatty tumor had to be removed from his neck and head. Six months after the surgery, balance problems ensued. In 2001, he was diagnosed with cerebellar atrophy, which affects the center of balance in the brain, leading to several falls. Powell now uses a wheelchair but can still walk a little.
The following year, he was introduced to the air rifle competitions for disabled athletes and later that year tried shooting at an event in New Braunfels, Texas.
"I did pretty good for someone who has not been in competition before," said Powell, who serves as a home teacher and as a merit badge counselor.
He then started competing regularly in the NRA's shooting program, traveling around the country. This year, he plans to go to a half-dozen cities to compete in sectionals before hopefully advancing to the finals.
Powell, who served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam era, also competes in the annual Paralyzed Veterans of America Wheelchair Games. In 2004, one of the exhibition games was wheelchair curling.
"This event is played on ice and is a little bit like Shuffleboard and I am good at this," Powell said. "So I decided to try it. I beat one of the Team USA players that was there to help with instructions."
Since then, he has been training and heading to the tryouts in New York.
He was also an alternate for the U.S. wheelchair curling world championships last year in Switzerland.
"This is my greatest accomplishment," Powell said of being an alternate on the curling team.
Even with these accomplishments, he still prays before he competes.
"I ask my Heavenly Father to come with me and have as much fun as I do in competition," Powell said. "This has helped me to excel in any competition I am in. It is not about the medal for me. If I win one, that is great because it will not matter what color. It is all about carrying myself in competition to be honorable as a church member and to let my Heavenly Father have as much fun as I do."
It takes courage to try new sports and compete against others who have been training and competing for much, much longer.
It was during the priesthood session of general conference in 1988 when President Thomas S. Monson, then a counselor in the First Presidency, said that every member should have the chance to play in sports.
"I have held onto this for all these years because no matter what my ability is I can compete in any sport," Powell said.
And he continues to compete in some sports, like bowling.
But due to "bad hips and shoulder problems," his doctor told him he would need to stop.
"I was determined to find a different way to play sports," Powell said. "That is why I got my sports wheelchair."
e-mail: rappleye@desnews.com