2015 COACH BIOS

Chris Asher - Ambulatory Sprinting & Jumping

Founder of Gold Medal Excellence with 15 years of NCAA coaching, 10 years as head T&F coach at Cal State LA experience.
Chris coached five NCAA champions and several elite athletes, including Calista Lyon in the 2012 discus throw, Josh Como in the 2011 triple jump, Giorgio Bryant in the 2011 long jump,current NFL player Greg Salas, current Major League Baseball relief pitcher Sergio Santos (Toronto Blue Jays), current National Basketball Association player Trevor Ariza (Washington Wizards) and 2005 Oakland A’s first-round draft pick Danny Putnam.

Juan Angulo - Wheelchair Basketball Clinic Coach - Wheelchair Basketball Classification - 1.0

In 1991, Juan was paralyzed in a car accident and is a T-6 paraplegic. He has been playing wheelchair basketball for more than 20 years
Played 4 years for Cypress College
2004 U.S. Men's Paralympic wheelchair basketball team member, played in Athens, Greece
In 2004 played with the Denver Nuggets wheelchair basketball team and won National Championship
2008-2013 recruited to play professionally in Spain and in 2012 was named player/coach
Currently playing for the Los Angeles Clippers wheelchair basketball team

Gregg Baumgarten - Seated Throwing

Greg founded Arizona Disabled Sports and the Desert Challenge Games more than 30 years ago.
Desert Challenge Games is the only IPC Grand Prix event in North America.
Gregg also founded the SkiAble Learn to Ski series and the first National Power Soccer Tournament.
In 2012, Gregg was elected as the National Chairman of Wheelchair & Ambulatory Sports USA, the oldest Disabled Sports Organization in the United States.

Tim Binning - Wheelchair Racing

Tim is currently the head coach of Arizona Disabled Sports' Arizona Heat Wheelchair Track team.
Tim is also the father of a wheelchair athlete, Stephen, who competed with Arizona Disabled Sports for many years. Now this is Tim’s opportunity to give back to the community.
Tim’s motto is "We like to go fast and have fun!"
Although success in track is measured in improvements in technique, endurance and speed, Tim believes the development of self-confidence and self-image is just as important since those skills will be used for the rest of ones life.

Joseph Chambers - Wheelchair Basketball Clinic Coach - Wheelchair Basketball Classification - 4.0

Joseph lost his leg to cancer at the age of 19
2007 and 2009 University of Whitewater Wisconsin Collegiate Division Champion, All American and MVP 2009
Joseph has been a member of the U.S. Men's Paralympic wheelchair basketball team since 2006
2007 Gold Medalist, Parapan American Games, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and 2011 Gold Medalist, Parapan American Games, Guadalajara, Mexico, USA Men’s Wheelchair Basketball
Joseph competed professionally for Fundosa Once, Madrid Spain in 2010 and for RSV Zwickau, Zwickau Germany in 2011
2008 4th Place, Paralympics, Beijing, China, USA Men’s Wheelchair Basketball
2012 Bronze Medalist, Paralympics, London, England, USA Men’s Wheelchair Basketball

Thom Confer - Ambulatory Track and Field

Thom is President, USA T&F Southern California (2010-Present). Since in 2002, Thom has also served as the SCA Youth Committee Vice President and Treasurer.
Thom has been coaching Track & Field since 1996 and has been fortunate to have several of his athletes earn college scholarships.
Thom is a Level 1 certified coach and currently runs the Cal Heat Track Club.
Thom has also served over 10 years as a high school track and field coach and led both the California Sate Games and the OC Meet of Champions as the meet director.

Michael Garafola - Wheelchair Basketball Clinic Coach - Wheelchair Basketball Classification - 1.5

Michael was paralyzed in a car accident at the age of 15 and is a T-8 paraplegic. He has been playing wheelchair basketball for 13 years
3x National Tournament All-Tournament selection
8x NWBA (National Wheelchair Basketball Association) All-Star
2006-2011 coach at University of Whitewater Wisconsin Jr. wheelchair basketball camp
Michael was invited twice to tryout for the U.S. Men's Paralympic wheelchair basketball team
Currently Coordinator of UCLA Recreation Adaptive Programs

Matthew Golembeski - Wheelchair Basketball Clinic Coach - Wheelchair Basketball Classification - 4.0

Matthew is a UCLA Alumni. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology in 2013 and was recently accepted into veterinary school at Michigan State where he will continue his pursuit of a career as a veterinarian
Matthew was born with the congenital birth defect, PFFD, a rare birth defect affecting his right leg and has been playing wheelchair basketball for 10 years
2009 National Junior Championship runner up and All-Tournament selection
Member or the U.S. Men's U23 Paralympic wheelchair basketball team
Head coach of the San Diego Hammer Varsity wheelchair basketball team, a competitive traveling team for high school payers with physical disabilities

Trooper Johnson - Wheelchair Basketball Clinic Coach - Wheelchair Basketball Classification - 2.5h

Trooper was paralyzed in a car accident at the age of 17 and is a T-12 paraplegic. He has been playing wheelchair basketball for 26 years
Trooper was a member of the U.S. Men's Paralympic wheelchair basketball team from 1990-2004 and played in four Paralympic Games - 1992 Barcelona, Spain, 1996 Atlanta, U.S.A., 2000 Sydney, Australia, 2004 Athens, Greece and is a 2x National champion and National tournament MVP, playing for the Golden State Warriors wheelchair basketball team
10x NWBA (National Wheelchair Basketball Association) All-Star
In 1998, Became the 2nd paraplegic to climb El Capitan in Yosemite Valley, CA. Repeated the climb in 2000 in a speed climb and completed the climb in 37.5 hours.
Currently the Youth Sports Program Coordinator for the Bay Area Outreach & Recreation Program (BORP) in Berkeley, CA. BORP provides the only competitive wheelchair sports programs for kids with disabilities in Northern California.
Currently the Assistant Coach of the US Women's National Wheelchair Basketball Team that will be competing in the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio

Alvin Malave - Wheelchair Basketball Clinic Coach - Wheelchair Basketball Classification - 2.5

In 2002, Alvin was a pedestrian in a hit and run accident and is a T-12 paraplegic. He has been playing wheelchair basketball for 12 years
2006-2010 played for the Los Angeles Lakers wheelchair basketball team
2011 NWBA (National wheelchair basketball Association) All-Star
2009-2011 invited to play professionally for National team in Mexico
In 2011, Alvin was invited to tryout for the U.S. Men's Paralympic wheelchair basketball team
2010-2011 coach at University of Whitewater Wisconsin Jr. wheelchair basketball camp

Tom Petranoff - Ambulatory Throwing

Tom was a once world record holder in the event with a mark of 327’2”, a throw farther than the length of an entire American football field.
Tom’s Track & Field accolades include being a 2-time Olympian, being ranked Top 10 in the world for 10 years, not to mention #1 in the US for 7 years, as well as competing in numerous World Championships and elite competitions.
Tom created his patented TurboJav, a safe, fun, and effective practice tool for people learning to throw the javelin.
Since then, Tom’s TurboJav has been added as an official USATF Junior Olympic event, and the company has expanded to include other Turbo throwing equipment.

Richard Robert - Ambulatory and Seated Throwing

IPC International Technical Official and Certified Educator.
IAAF Certified Level 5 Coach.
USA Track & Field Certified Level 3 Coach.
USA Weightlifting Certified Coach.
USATF Master Level Official and Race Walk Judge.
Southern California Association/USATF Para-Athletics Chair.

Katy Sullivan - Ambulatory Sprinting

Katy is a three time US Champion in the 100m.
She was among the first bilateral above knee amputees to compete in the Paralympics in Ambulatory Track when she ran in the 100m at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, setting a new American record of 17.33s & finishing 6th in the World.
She has appeared in numerous TV shows and independent films including the award winning documentary, WALK ON.
She is probably best known for her character on NBC’s MY NAME IS EARL and was recently seen on ABC’s LAST MAN STANDING with Tim Allen, FX’s Comedy LEGIT and CBS’ hit NCIS: NEW ORLEANS.