Brandon Watkins is our "2004 Person of the Year."  That was the year he first stepped on the floor to tryout for the   Madison Area Technical College basketball team in Madison, Wisconsin.  What sets him apart from the thousands of boys and girls, men and women, grade school through the professional ranks who have played "the greatest game ever invented?"
  You might think that it would be difficult to play when you are missing four fingers, and Brandon Watkins has this handicap, but can still make three point shots.  As a 6'1 freshman he played in half of the games for the Wolfpack who went 22-5 and reached the playoffs in their respective division.
  But this is only part of the story, Brandon Watkins has no legs!  When he was only two years old, his legs were amputated below the knee.  He always wanted to play basketball, he watched it on TV, he taught himself to shoot and to dribble.  He watched friends and family play basketball.  He wanted to play.
  Finally when entering Madison Area Technical College, he decided to tryout for the team.  The coach, Scot Vesterdahl saw Brandon as a long shot to make the team since he only had three fingers on each hand, but he could not believe what he saw when Brandon took off his sweat pants and stood on prosthetic legs.  Those same legs allowed him to run up and down the floor, jump to get rebounds, pivot to pass and cut, and play defense! He made the team.
  The ex-major league baseball player, Satchell Paige once said, "Never let your head hang down.  Never give up and sit down and grieve.  Find another way!"  Well Brandon Watkins proved that where there is a will, there certainly is another  way. His statistics might seem miniscule (made 5 of nine shots for the season including four three pointers; had five rebounds and two steals), but they become gargantuan when you take into consideration that his teammates and opponents just put their sneakers on to play, while Brandon puts his legs on to play.
  And there are countless others out there who "find a way."
  Kellie Valentine of IUP lost her right arm in an auto accident, but came back to become a very good golfer, finishing second in a National Amputee Tournament.  Bob Buck said, "I think Kellie's a real inspiration to anyone who thinks what she's doing can't be done." Kellie found a way.
Stacey Leeper from Shawnee Mission Kansas was born with a growth hormone deficiency and stood only 3'9" at age nine.  She went on to play soccer, basketball, and track.  She won high school cross-country meets and started on her soccer team in the State Tournament.  Stacey found a way.
Russell Bonasso graduated from high school in 1938; he served in World War II; he and his wife had 12 children; 7 were in West Virginia University at one time; he had over 40 grandchildren; then at age 70 he entered Fairmont State College.  It was his turn.  When he graduated four years later, the governor of West Virginia made a special trip to shake Russell's hand.  Russell had always found a way.

(Watkins information credit, The Phoenix, 2/18/05, Arnie Stapleton, AP Sports Writer)
(Valentine information credit, The Erie Daily Times, 7//15/99, John Dudley)
(Leeper information credit, The Kansas City Star, 5/27/99, Jason King)
(Bonasso information credit, The Pittsburgh Post Gazette, 6/23/96, Brian O'Neill)