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DOWAGIAC — Ethan Nearpass has never been one to shy away from enjoying new experiences.  

Like most teenagers, the 16-year old Dowagiac High School sophomore keeps himself busy through his participation in extra curricular activities, including sporting events. 

Despite suffering from Spina Bifida that has him confined to a wheelchair, Ethan competes in Sled Hockey, wheelchair basketball and this spring he joined the Dowagiac High School track and field team. 

Ethan’s parents, Guy and Melissa Nearpass, rented a racing chair from Turnstone Athletics in Fort Wayne, Ind. that deals with paralympic athletes. There are options for customers to rent a chair for just the season with an opportunity to later purchase one outright if they wish. 

After a bit of a learning curve, Nearpass’ first season competing on the oval in the 100 and 200-meter dashes in the Adaptive Category has been a successful one. 

It all came to fruition in Friday’s Division 2 regional meet at Berrien Springs. 

Ethan captured first-place in both the 100 and 200 races which now qualifies him for the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s state championships on Saturday, May 31 at Hamilton High School. 

After winning the 100 in 26.53, Ethan turned in a personal-best time of 57.53 and also emerged with first place in the 200. His personal best in the 100 is 25.12 in an earlier meet this spring.

Ethan has been grateful to Dowagiac head boys’ track and field coach and his assistant coaches for their support and inspiration.

“Coach Wiliams and Coach Clark are very supportive and uplifting and they asked me if I’d be interested in joining the team. I wasn’t ever aware that Adaptive sports was a thing in track and field. The wheelchair I use for my races is much different than the one I’m used to. When you’re using the one for racing you have to keep your head down the whole time and I use special gloves so I can make a fist to operate the chair. I took me a few meets before I got used to it. The 200 is a tougher race because its longer and there are a couple turns. I’m excited about going to state. I just want to do my best and maybe win, but we’ll see how it goes,” Ethan said. 

“I just really enjoy being able to compete and be part of the team with people I know from school, laugh and cheer my other  teammates on.”

It was Williams who approached Ethan’s mother to see if he’d be interested in joining Dowagiac’s track program. Williams had previously coached Ethan’s older brother in soccer.

“Ethan parents are very supportive and do their best to see that he gets as many opportunities to get involved as possible,” Williams said. “Ethan gets around at school really well so I thought this sport might be a good opportunity for him. He was nervous at first because he had never performed in front of so many people before. He also had to learn how to operate a racing chair, which is a bit different from a normal wheelchair. He has steadily knocked his time down.

“One of the biggest challenges, especially in the 200, is to learn how to stay in your lane as you are turning. You have to  adjust the handle on the chair to handle turns before clicking it back into place in the straight away,” Williams continued. “He’s really grasped things well and is enjoying being a member of the team.  Ethan is a good all-around kid, very appreciative, and does everything he’s asked to do. Now he celebrates when he gets a personal record just like everyone else. I think this sport might take him somewhere if he’s interested. They have Adaptive Sports in college as well. He’s a great teammate and all the other kids on our team like him and always have.”

Ethan is excited about his future in the sport. Right now he’s just focused on continuing his training and see where the sport takes him.

Outside of competing in sports, Ethan does well academically and he aspires to one day become an editor for a magazine or newspaper. His current academic load at school includes one Honors class.  

Ethan is also an accomplished outdoorsman. An avid hunter, Ethan has went turkey hunting the last three years and got two birds. Last fall he had the chance to deer hunt in Angola, Ind. where he took down an 8-point Buck and a Doe.  

“I’m biased, but Ethan is a pretty amazing kid and we are so thankful for all the opportunities he’s been given. There are some wonderful organizations that have helped him live a full life and break the molds of what he can and can’t do. It’s nice to see him out here competing on a team, but it’s great to see him improving his times,” Guy Nearpass said. 

Ethan, also recently got his Level 1 driver’s license and is now driving with an adult to get his required hours in. He’ll take the driving test and Segment 2. His parents have purchased a mobility van and the hand controls were just recently installed allowing him to drive.