Rodney Vlieger
Achievements
Adaptive Sports Hall of FameRod grew up on a farm outside of Maurice, Iowa until the family moved into town in 1964.
He attended Maurice-Orange City schools where he graduated in 1969. The summer after high school, he was injured in a diving accident that left him a quadriplegic, but that didn’t stop him from living his life to the fullest. He attended college at the University of Illinois, Rod was introduced to wheelchair sports as a U of I Gizz Kid. In 1972, Rodney was the recipient of the Timothy J. Nugent award, the award given annually in honor of Dr. Nugent, the founder and Director of the Rehabilitation-Education
Center at the University of Illinois.
Rod was a Class 1A athlete who excelled in field events and slalom. He was a member of the National Champion University of Illinois teams during the early 70’s and while attending Illinois, Rod competed internationally as a medalist on several USA Paralympic Teams and other international teams for over sixteen years. He played on the Gizz Kid wheelchair football team and though he wasn’t the fastest player on the team, he always found a way to make the block or tackle. He also competed with the Minnesota Rolling Gophers Wheelchair Teams.
Rod graduated with an agricultural engineering degree and after retiring from his career in agriculture, he pursued his passion by becoming a church pastor. Rod is remembered as a quiet, intellectual type who was very competitive.