User:Olan767/Manuel Guerra Jr.

Manuel “Manny” Guerra Jr.

Nickname: Manny

Born: July, 1967

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois

Residence: Plymouth, Minnesota

Country: United States

Height: 180 cm (5-foot-11.0)

Weight: 104 kg (230 lbs.)

Manny contracted polio as an infant, leaving his left leg disabled. This did not stop him from pursuing his love of hockey. He began his career playing goalie for his high school hockey team, wearing a knee brace. He first encountered sledge hockey in 1991 through a local club in Minnesota. After playing one season, he received an invitation to attend the 1991 US National Team Trials. He made the starting line-up and went on to earn recognition as a five-time All-World goaltender. At the 2002 Salt Lake Paralympic Games, Manny led the US sledge hockey team to the gold medal. Manny believes in empowering others with disabilities and actively participates in this endeavor. He performs disability awareness sessions and motivational speaking throughout the country, and encourages youth sports by participating in clinics for wheelchair softball, basketball, sled (sledge) hockey.

Career Highlights Include:

• 2004 IPC World Championships silver medalist

• 2002 Paralympic gold medalist

• Five-time All-World goaltender

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

• 2002 – All World Goaltender (1st All Star) SVS% 91.80, GAA 0.96

• 1997 – World all-star Goalie, IPC Swedish Winter Games, Solleftea, Sweden.

• 1996 – World all-star Goalie, IPC Sled Hockey World Championships, Nynashamn, Sweden.

• 1995 – World all-star Goalie, IPC Swedish Winter Games, Solleftea, Sweden.

• 1993 – MVP, US Friendship Cup Tournament, Bloomington, Minnesota.

• 1992 – World all-star Goalie, Canadian Winter Games, Ottawa, Canada.

HONORS • 2002 – U.S. Olympic Spirit Award by Nu Skin

• 2002 – Bob Johnson Award - presented by Nike

• 2002 – First Paralympic athlete to present team jacket to the President.

• 2006, 2002, 1998 – Presidential White House Visit