Timothy J. Nugent, MD

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Achievements

In 1948, the University of Illinois at Galesburg began a highly specialized program in various competitive sports, the U. of I. Gizz Kids. The person who was the catalyst in this proactive movement in wheelchair sports was Professor Timothy J. Nugent. He is known worldwide as the founder of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association, the famous Gizz Kids wheelchair basketball team, and the Ms. Kids, the first women’s team. In 1986, the Kids became the Fighting Illini Men’s and Women’s Wheelchair Basketball teams.

Dr. Nugent’s Division of Rehabilitation-Education Services moved to the Champaign-Urbana campus in 1949, and the program evolved to include a wide variety of sports ranging from archery, square dancing, fencing, bowling, football, cheerleading, swimming, and table tennis, in addition to track and field. The intent was to allow students with a disability to not only achieve academically, but to also have the opportunity to participate in related extracurricular experiences offered to their able-bodied classmates.

Thanks to Tim’s persistence, the University of Illinois became the first major university to grant athletic letters for participation in wheelchair athletics. Any student who enrolled in the program found that Coach Nugent was strict but fair. The Gizz Kids athletes were expected to participate in early morning calisthenics, attend a full day of classes, and then return for grueling practices. In the 1960s, the “Kids” dominated the National Wheelchair Games, taking home the Team Trophy every year until the trophy was retired.

Tim, along with his athletes and staff, were very involved in the research and development of the technological advancements of sports-specific wheelchairs. The U. of I. remains the prominent force in the development and training of wheelchair athletes and coaches, and in applied wheelchair sports research. From the modest beginnings among the cornfields of Illinois, Dr. Tim Nugent’s efforts and influence in wheelchair sports have reached around every corner of the globe.