This season marks the 11th year since N.C. State alum Jonathan Greeson founded the North Carolina Electronic Wheelchair Hockey Association (N.C.E.W.H.A.). This team of disabled players travels nationwide to compete in tournaments as the Carolina Fury.
Faced with disability, Greeson found inspiration in professional hockey players.
“I became interested in hockey after the 1994 NHL playoffs when Mark Messier led the New York Rangers to the Stanley Cup,” Greeson said. “The kids in my neighborhood had started playing little league baseball and I couldn’t participate, so hockey became something I could participate in on my own.”
But for Greeson, his interest in hockey was much more than a hobby. What started as a group of college students in wheelchairs practicing in a church gymnasium became what Greeson calls a “center of hope” for the handicapped community. Greeson serves not only as team captain of the Carolina Fury, but also plays goalie.
“So the dream of someone else starting a team and me joining their team didn’t happen, and I decided to start the program myself,” Greeson said.
“I founded the N.C.E.W.H.A. in 2002 and filed as a nonprofit in 2003,” Greeson said. “I have continued in a volunteer role as president/founder of the organization.”
Since its conception, countless people have become involved with the NCEWHA, continuing to uphold Greeson’s vision.
Although he had wanted to be part of something like this since childhood, Greeson said that his time as a student at N.C. State prepared him the most for leading the team.
“I can honestly say there would not be an N.C.E.W.H.A. if I didn’t attend N.C. State,” Greeson said. “I majored in business management with a finance concentration, which prepared me for building a business from scratch. What I learned in class gave me the confidence to pursue this dream.”
Besides hockey, Greeson said that his four years at N.C. State shaped him into who he is now in nearly every aspect of his life. While he and numerous other disabled citizens inevitably have to rely on the help of others to a certain degree, his college life helped him become more independent.
“I’ve always been very driven because of support of my family and friends, but college really fueled the fire inside me,” Greeson said. “It showed me that I do matter and I should strive to be the best I can.”
Krissy Kelly, former Health Care Service coordinator for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and long time hockey fan, saw firsthand what the team gives the players and their families.
“It gives individuals with disabilities a chance to compete, exercise and belong,” Kelly said. “It gives families the opportunity to meet other families and cheer each other toward victory.”
In addition to his involvement with the N.C.E.W.H.A., Greeson is also a published author and part-time budget analyst for Wayne County. His first book was published several years ago, entitled My Online Angel. He is now working on his second.
When asked about his plans for the future, Greeson’s aspirations remain high.
“I hope to open my own firm in the near future where I will offer fee-based financial planning,” Greeson said. “While I will help all people plan their financial future, I want to put an emphasis on helping families of people with disabilities navigate the Social Security system and any other benefits they may receive.”
In spite of the medical issues Greeson continually deals with, nothing will stop him from pursuing his dreams, and the N.C.E.W.H.A. is a prime example of that mentality.
