Jan Elix
Contributor | 1999
Hometown: San Jose, California
Jan Elix was actively involved in the world of wheelchair athletics competitively and professionally for over thirty years. Injured in a high diving accident as a young teenager, she transformed her career as a highly successful able-bodied athlete into that of a highly decorated and successful wheelchair athlete.
As a teenager engaged in wheelchair competition, Jan learned the value of athletic competition. She was the USA national champion in table tennis from 1973 to 1983 and won the silver medal in table at the 1982 World Wheelchair Championship Games in England.
At the very same time, Jan was pursuing her education, first at California’s DeAnza College and then at San Jose State University in the disciplines of recreation administration and management. She used this education well in her role as a Recreation Supervisor for years at the City of San Jose, building one of the most respected and recognized adapted recreation programs in the country. Jan also served for years as the programmer and Executive Director of the Far West Wheelchair Athletic Association.
The focus of her work history had always been in implementing sports and leisure programs for athletes and all people with disabilities. Realizing the importance of skill development, Jan became actively involved in junior athletic programs in the early 1980’s. She co-founded the Northern California Junior Sports Program in 1993. Jan also served for years on the Wheelchair Sports USA Junior Committee and was a Member and Officer on the Wheelchair Sports USA Board of Directors. Jan was also the meet director of the 1989 and 2000 Junior Nationals Wheelchair Games and was the assistant team leader for the Junior Team USA that traveled to the 1999 Austrailian Junior Wheelchair Games.
Jan Elix touched many lives through all of her work with the City of San Jose and Wheelchair Sports USA and it all started in the sport she liked to call “K-nick/K-nack”!
