In 2016, Justin Hauser was working full-time in a factory. He jogged almost every night.
Then, he had an accident.
“I was swimming with some friends and dove in. I hit my head on the bottom of the pool. I broke my neck,” said Hauser, 34, now of Ottawa Lake.
He suffered a C5-6 incomplete spinal cord injury that rendered him a quadriplegic. Hauser underwent two surgeries and months of physical therapy. Today, he uses a power wheelchair. He still has pain.
“Every day, all day,” Hauser said. “Once I had the injury, I just thought I was pretty much going to exist.”
But today, Hauser and his wife, Janelle, have a 13-year-old-daughter, Vivian. The family likes to go on cruises. Hauser’s even playing sports again.
Hauser played football and basketball while at Morenci Area Schools. After his injury, he tried a few adaptive sports, like basketball and wheelchair rugby.
“I didn’t have the strength. They are a lot more intense, a lot more physical,” Hauser said.
Then, he found power soccer.
“I was following some individuals on social media. They play for the U.S. Power Soccer Team. (One member) connected me to Motor City Eagles,” Hauser said. “We play power soccer. (Everyone) uses a power wheelchair on a daily basis. Everyone does have a disability of some kind.”
For the last two seasons, using an adaptive soccer chair, Hauser has played for the Motor City Eagles. Based in Northville, it’s a competitive, travel team. Hauser recently received a grant from the Kelly Brush Foundation to help him purchase a new custom power soccer chair.
“(Motor City Eagles) has their own equipment. They get it through grants. They had a chair that I tried out. I still use it today,” Hauser said.
But Hauser is 6-foot-4-inches tall and the chair is too small for him, which causes pain.
“If you don’t have a custom chair, you can experience a lot of pain,” Hauser said. “(The new one) is custom-fit to me. We had to extend the footrest out. I added a four-point harness just because my upper core strength isn’t quite there yet.”
Hauser’s new chair should arrive in about 12 weeks. It weighs around 250 pounds. Hauser said prices for chairs can range from $10,000 to $20,000 or more depending on a person’s needs. His chair costs $12,500. The Kelly Brush Foundation is paying part of the cost.
Hauser learned about the foundation while getting treatment at the University of Michigan.
“(U of M) had a mentoring program. I connected with a couple of the former patients through the mentorship program. I found out about Kelly Brush and what they do. There are only a few places that really help out with sports equipment,” Hauser said.
Based in Burlington, Vermont, the Kelly Brush Foundation is a non-profit that helps provide adaptive sports equipment to people with spinal cord injuries. Brush herself sustained a spinal cord injury while racing in an NCAA alpine ski race. Since 2006, the foundation has awarded more than 2,000 grants.
Hauser applied and received a grant.
“I’m so thankful for Kelly Brush helping with the chair and the amazing work that that organization does for individuals with spinal cord injuries,” Hauser said.
“Everyone who reviewed Justin’s grant application was incredibly impressed with his passion and excitement to be active and to connect with his community through an active lifestyle,” Brush said in a news release. “I’m so excited to see how this new equipment helps Justin live a fulfilled, active life.”
Hauser’s old chair will be used by another player on the Motor City Eagles. The team is co-ed, but currently has only male players. They range in age from 16-38.
“The team became competitive last year. We travel. 2025 was our first national tournament. We got runner-up for our conference. We got moved up a conference. This year, we placed fifth in the new conference,” Hauser said.
Hauser said there are currently only two competitive sports for power chair users. The other is bocce.
“I’m more of an action type of person. (Soccer) is a very competitive, fast-paced sport. It takes a lot of practice,” Hauser said. “I’m so thankful that somebody years ago saw that there does need to be more than one option for people in power chairs. I’m thankful for Motor City Eagles and everything they’ve done for me over the last two seasons and my teammates teaching me everything they have.”
United States Power Soccer Association
Motor City Eagles is part of the United States Power Soccer Association, which began in 2006. The organization has 70 co-ed teams across the country, including recreational and competitive teams, said Nathan Mayer, association president and power soccer athlete.
“We had 437 registered players this season. We also had 102 registered staff members and 60 referees involved in the organization,” Mayer said. “Growth is one of our biggest areas of focus right now. There are still large parts of the country where someone may be a perfect fit for the sport, but simply doesn’t have a team or program anywhere near them.”
People of all ages can play power soccer.
“We have youth players all the way through adults who have played for decades. Our youngest athlete is 7-years-old, and our oldest athlete is 83-years-old,” Mayer said. “That’s honestly one of the coolest things about power soccer. It can really be a lifelong sport.”
— Contact reporter Suzanne Nolan Wisler at swisler@monroenews.com.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Despite spinal cord injury, Ottawa Lake man playing competitive soccer
Reporting by Suzanne Nolan Wisler, The Monroe News / The Monroe News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Suzanne Nolan Wisler, The Monroe News | USA TODAY Network
