Paul Kolterjahn
2008
Paul Kolterjahn was involved in adaptive sports for more than three decades, and in that time he demonstrated an unselfish dedication to all athletes with disabilities. His wheelchair sports career went back to his days as an official at the National Wheelchair Games on the Bulova campus. In 1991, he was the head track official for the National Junior Disability Championships held at Princeton University. It was then that he discovered that coaching—especially on the junior level—was something he wanted to pursue.
Paul coached the Children’s Lightning Wheels for years but also freely shared his knowledge with athletes, parents, and coaches from other programs. He consistently helped with the running of meets, including registration, field pit assignments, and seeding track heats. Early on, this was done using the old cut-and-paste method—later replaced by the SAMS Games Management Program, which Paul helped use and set up for track and field meets, several Tri-State meets, and Junior Nationals.
Paul was the head of the logistics team for the 2001, 2008, and 2015 Junior Nationals, as well as co-meet director for those events. He strived to be the best that he could be by attending courses that legitimized his credibility as both a coach and an official. He was certified as a USATF Level 1 Coach, a USA Archery Level 1 Instructor, and a USATF National Level Official with an IPC certification. He also attended Paralympic coaches’ training courses in Colorado Springs.
Paul served as a starter and field official not only at meets in the Tri-State area but also at regional and national competitions. Watching him officiate a weightlifting competition with his self-made weight chart was both educational and entertaining.
Paul devoted much of his personal time to doing things for the good of the Tri-State Wheelchair Athletics region. He helped organize and set up field boxes, transported equipment, and even designed “platforms” for field chairs so they could be used on turf or hard surfaces.
Paul was a person of great integrity and a role model for everyone. He was consistent in his approach to dealing with athletes, treating all fairly. When he had to disqualify an athlete, he did so with a full explanation so that the experience was a learning opportunity.
What made Paul’s story even more remarkable was that he came from the financial business world, and his children didn’t have disabilities—yet he unselfishly devoted over 30 years of his life to working with individuals with special needs.