The Ignatian - December 2016 Vol 26 July Edition Vol 27 | Page 34

Alumni in Focus Clarence (CJ) McCarthy-Grogan Photos CJ proudly bears the trophy for the UTA wheelchair basketball team's historic win. My name is Clarence McCarthy-Grogan, mostly known as CJ, and I am 23 years old. I was born with Fibula Limb Deficiency, which requires me to use a wheelchair to get around. For me, attending Riverview opened so many doors and different opportunities. Not only did it help with my sporting career, but it also helped me in life. Being a boarder forced me out of my comfort zone, and I learnt that I would have to work hard in order to achieve my goals for the future. As I reflect on my time as a student at Riverview, it was also where my journey as a wheelchair basketball athlete started. While in high school, I represented the state in the Junior Wheelchair Basketball team and began playing in the National Wheelchair Basketball League (NWBL). Since leaving Riverview in 2011, I’ve had the honour of representing our country at international championships in Turkey, Thailand and Dubai. 3 4 | I G N ATI A N | J U LY 2 0 1 7 The past 12 months for me have been amazing, as I joined the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) as a student-athlete and playing wheelchair basketball for the UTA Movin’ Mavs. Last year, we defeated the University of Wisconsin’s Whitewater WarHawks, breaking an 11 year drought and making history. I was also personally privileged to become the first Indigenous Australian to win a US College grand final. Looking back, I know that if I hadn’t left Darwin to attend Riverview, I more than likely would not have made it to where I am today. I plan to finish my studies at UTA to become a journalist, and I look forward to another four years of playing College wheelchair basketball. My parents always taught me that if you really want to achieve bigger and better things, then you must get out of your comfort zone. I know from experience that it’s definitely not easy, but you’ll never know if you don’t try.