Vincent R. Falardeau
Achievements
Adaptive Sports Hall of FameVince received his B.A. and M.A.T. degrees from the University of Illinois, where he was introduced to wheelchair sports competition. As a vocation, he was a French teacher at Northampton High School from 1968 to 2004 before retiring.
From June of 1968 through May of 1982, Vince was a member of the Massachusetts Minutemen Wheelchair Team. Vincent was a five-time member of the United States Wheelchair Sports Team that competed in the Paralympic Games in 1964 in Tokyo; the Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Games in 1965 and 1970, held in England; the Pan American Wheelchair Games held in Jamaica in 1971; and the Paralympic Games held in Toronto in 1976.
Vince earned two silver medals and two bronze medals in Tokyo for archery and swimming, and one bronze medal for archery in Toronto as a Class 1 athlete with quadriplegia.
In May of 1966, Vincent was the recipient of the Harold Scharper Service Award for service to the handicapped community, and in May of 1971, he also received the Harold Scharper Achievement Award for achievement as an individual with a disability.
He also served as chairperson for the Holyoke Handicap Advisory Commission. Vince was a Western Massachusetts Track and Field Official from 1972 until his retirement, and a Western Massachusetts Swimming Official from 1982 on.
Vincent was inducted into the New England Wheelchair Hall of Fame in 2001. He attained an Athletic Varsity Letter and Commendation as a “Pioneer of Wheelchair Sports” from the University of Illinois in 2004.