By. Brett Greenberg
TUSCALOOSA Ala. - All it took was one shot to bring Lindy Bridges to the University of Alabama and have another... shot at playing wheelchair basketball for a collegiate school.
All of his life, Lindy was an active kid who loved playing nearly every sport. Always smiling and seeing the bright side in things.
Lindy dreamed of playing basketball in college all of his life and although he might not be playing it the traditional way, he has fulfilled his dream. Bridges took up playing basketball when he was just 10 years old.
Six years later, Bridges would be ending his sophomore year at Talladega High School in his hometown Bryant, Alabama. Just two days into his sophomore year Summer, Bridges was paralyzed in an ATV accident.
Lindy, 16 year old boy, was told he would never be able to walk again.
"For a 16 year old kid to be told he will never be able to walk again and be able to continue to be active and want to do rehab is as resilient as they get," said Ryan Jansen, co-captain of the University of Alabama Men's Wheelchair Team. "I met Lindy here at school, but he is a kid who does anything for me and is as strong as a player mentally that we have."
Years later, Lindy would go on to be a volunteer at the University of Alabama-Birmingham and would help with patients who also had spinal cord injuries. On an ordinary day, Lindy would be given the opportunity of a lifetime when an old patient of Lindy’s told him about a place called the Lakeshore Foundation. The Lakeshore Foundation is an organization and recreational center located in Birmingham, Alabama that offers people with disabilities the chance to play sports and participate in fitness activities.
Oddly enough, two of Lindy’s close friends and teammates played for Lakeshore Foundation together years before Lindy. Rashad Bennett and Abraham-Hausman Weiss are two that have grown closer to Lindy by sharing stories from the Lakeshore days.
“I think it is very cool that there are a few of us from Lakeshore,” said Rashad Bennett, co-captain of the University of Alabama Men’s Wheelchair Basketball Team. “We have a bond that not all of us are allowed to have because of our background.”
Lindy, who wanted to play anyway he could, took this opportunity and began attending practices at Lakeshore. Lindy would start attending practices and eventually be given the opportunity to travel with the team to face the University of Alabama and Coach Ford Burttram.
Although Lindy was unable to play in the game due to ineligibility, he was able to put up some practice shots before the game on the side. That is when Coach Burttram saw this young man shooting and asked him something Lindy will never forget.
“Coach Ford asked if I wanted to play at the University of Alabama and the rest is history,” said Lindy Bridges. “I was given a second chance and I was not going to let this opportunity pass up.”
Lindy was given the opportunity to play at the University of Alabama, a school that lives and breathes national championships.
Because Lindy had only been playing wheelchair basketball for roughly four years, he had a somewhat difficult time transitioning to collegiate basketball.
“Lindy is someone who has broken out in a big way for us this year,” said Ryan Jansen, co-captain of the Crimson Tide. “Lindy did not play much in his first three years with us but is now our second leading scorer and our primary ball handler.”
Lindy has made a huge jump from bench player to leading the team in assists per game and being second on the team in points and rebounds per game. Lindy is also shooting 46.7% from the field. I should mention Lindy made his presence felt for this team in the 2018 National Championships hitting seven of 10 shots and helping the Crimson Tide get another ring.
In his fourth year, Lindy has taken a new role on the team which has shown to bring on some difficulties as well as lessons learned. Lindy has taken it upon himself to become a mentor to some of the younger guys. To name a few, Grady Gordon and Evan Williams. Bridges has made it his responsibility to hold the younger guys and his other teammates accountable as well as harp on things that the coaches emphasize.
As the season nears an end with only the 2020 NWBA Toyota Men’s Collegiate National Championships coming up, Lindy hopes to continue his dominating year and bring yet another ring back to Tuscaloosa. A team that has won a national championship in 2013, 2018 and 2019.
After Lindy is done with collegiate wheelchair basketball, he plans on continuing to work with patients who have spinal cord injuries and help with the rehabilitation process.
This is a kid who was faced with a life changing circumstance when he was just 16 and he did not blink.
Lindy Bridges is as resilient of a man as they come.
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