Playing soccer in a country with as much history and success as Brazil isn't lost on Kevin Hensley. And neither is the opportunity to represent his country.
The 24-year-old, a former all-state player at Collierville, will captain the United States as the Paralympics open Wednesday in Rio de Janeiro. The Americans open pool play Thursday against the Netherlands at the Deodoro Stadium.
"I think it's going to hit me pretty hard," said Hensley. "Everyone on the team has worked so hard for the chance to walk out there ... It's going to be emotional.
"And soccer in Brazil is just unreal. They'll play with a ball, or a Coke can or just some rolled-up towels."
Hensley's journey to the Games began Dec. 23, 2006, when he suffered a stroke. Three weeks earlier while playing in a tournament in Nashville, he had jumped to head a ball. The defender didn't, however, and Hensley fell hard, snapping his neck.
"My parents had gone Christmas shopping and when they came back, they saw that my soccer bag was in the sink, which obviously wasn't its normal place," Hensley said. "The CT scans really didn't show anything ... but then I heard the word 'stroke.' "
Hensley spent his freshman season at Collierville on the junior varsity before developing into a two-time all-state center back. That won him a chance to play at Carson-Newman.
Playing soccer in a country with as much history and success as Brazil isn't lost on Kevin Hensley. And neither is the opportunity to represent his country.
The 24-year-old, a former all-state player at Collierville, will captain the United States as the Paralympics open Wednesday in Rio de Janeiro. The Americans open pool play Thursday against the Netherlands at the Deodoro Stadium.
"I think it's going to hit me pretty hard," said Hensley. "Everyone on the team has worked so hard for the chance to walk out there ... It's going to be emotional.
"And soccer in Brazil is just unreal. They'll play with a ball, or a Coke can or just some rolled-up towels."
Hensley's journey to the Games began Dec. 23, 2006, when he suffered a stroke. Three weeks earlier while playing in a tournament in Nashville, he had jumped to head a ball. The defender didn't, however, and Hensley fell hard, snapping his neck.
"My parents had gone Christmas shopping and when they came back, they saw that my soccer bag was in the sink, which obviously wasn't its normal place," Hensley said. "The CT scans really didn't show anything ... but then I heard the word 'stroke.' "
Hensley spent his freshman season at Collierville on the junior varsity before developing into a two-time all-state center back. That won him a chance to play at Carson-Newman.
Memory problems caused by the stroke made academics and soccer too difficult on the college level, and Hensley gave up playing and went into coaching. But soccer hadn't given up on him.
Two years ago, he received a call from head coach Stuart Sharp, inviting him to try out for the national team. The coach had stumbled across an article about Hensley.
"It (the stroke) was maybe a little bit of a silver lining," Hensley said. "I had been a happy honor student (before), but I was in a dark place for a few years."
Paralympic soccer is different from the regular game; there are seven players on a side instead of 11, the field and goalposts are smaller and games are 60 minutes instead of 90. And there's no offside rule, which often leads to free-flowing attacking play.
Each player on a team is assigned a number from 5 (most disabled) to 8 (least) depending on their level of disability. Teams are allowed only one 8 on the field at a time, and Hensley is it for the U.S.
Playing soccer in a country with as much history and success as Brazil isn't lost on Kevin Hensley. And neither is the opportunity to represent his country.
The 24-year-old, a former all-state player at Collierville, will captain the United States as the Paralympics open Wednesday in Rio de Janeiro. The Americans open pool play Thursday against the Netherlands at the Deodoro Stadium.
"I think it's going to hit me pretty hard," said Hensley. "Everyone on the team has worked so hard for the chance to walk out there ... It's going to be emotional.
"And soccer in Brazil is just unreal. They'll play with a ball, or a Coke can or just some rolled-up towels."
Hensley's journey to the Games began Dec. 23, 2006, when he suffered a stroke. Three weeks earlier while playing in a tournament in Nashville, he had jumped to head a ball. The defender didn't, however, and Hensley fell hard, snapping his neck.
"My parents had gone Christmas shopping and when they came back, they saw that my soccer bag was in the sink, which obviously wasn't its normal place," Hensley said. "The CT scans really didn't show anything ... but then I heard the word 'stroke.' "
Hensley spent his freshman season at Collierville on the junior varsity before developing into a two-time all-state center back. That won him a chance to play at Carson-Newman.
Memory problems caused by the stroke made academics and soccer too difficult on the college level, and Hensley gave up playing and went into coaching. But soccer hadn't given up on him.
Two years ago, he received a call from head coach Stuart Sharp, inviting him to try out for the national team. The coach had stumbled across an article about Hensley.
"It (the stroke) was maybe a little bit of a silver lining," Hensley said. "I had been a happy honor student (before), but I was in a dark place for a few years."
Paralympic soccer is different from the regular game; there are seven players on a side instead of 11, the field and goalposts are smaller and games are 60 minutes instead of 90. And there's no offside rule, which often leads to free-flowing attacking play.
Each player on a team is assigned a number from 5 (most disabled) to 8 (least) depending on their level of disability. Teams are allowed only one 8 on the field at a time, and Hensley is it for the U.S.
"If you watched me, you wouldn't know there was anything wrong," said Hensley, who plays midfield for the national team.
The draw was tough for the U.S.; the Netherlands is the most successful team in Paralympic history with three gold medals since 1984 and Iran and Argentina are also strong. But Hensley said don't count the Americans out.
"Out of eight teams (in the competition), we're ranked eighth," he said. "But we've beaten Holland and Argentina over the last three years. Our goal is to medal."
The 24-year-old, a former all-state player at Collierville, will captain the United States as the Paralympics open Wednesday in Rio de Janeiro. The Americans open pool play Thursday against the Netherlands at the Deodoro Stadium.
"I think it's going to hit me pretty hard," said Hensley. "Everyone on the team has worked so hard for the chance to walk out there ... It's going to be emotional.
"And soccer in Brazil is just unreal. They'll play with a ball, or a Coke can or just some rolled-up towels."
Hensley's journey to the Games began Dec. 23, 2006, when he suffered a stroke. Three weeks earlier while playing in a tournament in Nashville, he had jumped to head a ball. The defender didn't, however, and Hensley fell hard, snapping his neck.
"My parents had gone Christmas shopping and when they came back, they saw that my soccer bag was in the sink, which obviously wasn't its normal place," Hensley said. "The CT scans really didn't show anything ... but then I heard the word 'stroke.' "
Hensley spent his freshman season at Collierville on the junior varsity before developing into a two-time all-state center back. That won him a chance to play at Carson-Newman.
Playing soccer in a country with as much history and success as Brazil isn't lost on Kevin Hensley. And neither is the opportunity to represent his country.
The 24-year-old, a former all-state player at Collierville, will captain the United States as the Paralympics open Wednesday in Rio de Janeiro. The Americans open pool play Thursday against the Netherlands at the Deodoro Stadium.
"I think it's going to hit me pretty hard," said Hensley. "Everyone on the team has worked so hard for the chance to walk out there ... It's going to be emotional.
"And soccer in Brazil is just unreal. They'll play with a ball, or a Coke can or just some rolled-up towels."
Hensley's journey to the Games began Dec. 23, 2006, when he suffered a stroke. Three weeks earlier while playing in a tournament in Nashville, he had jumped to head a ball. The defender didn't, however, and Hensley fell hard, snapping his neck.
"My parents had gone Christmas shopping and when they came back, they saw that my soccer bag was in the sink, which obviously wasn't its normal place," Hensley said. "The CT scans really didn't show anything ... but then I heard the word 'stroke.' "
Hensley spent his freshman season at Collierville on the junior varsity before developing into a two-time all-state center back. That won him a chance to play at Carson-Newman.
Memory problems caused by the stroke made academics and soccer too difficult on the college level, and Hensley gave up playing and went into coaching. But soccer hadn't given up on him.
Two years ago, he received a call from head coach Stuart Sharp, inviting him to try out for the national team. The coach had stumbled across an article about Hensley.
"It (the stroke) was maybe a little bit of a silver lining," Hensley said. "I had been a happy honor student (before), but I was in a dark place for a few years."
Paralympic soccer is different from the regular game; there are seven players on a side instead of 11, the field and goalposts are smaller and games are 60 minutes instead of 90. And there's no offside rule, which often leads to free-flowing attacking play.
Each player on a team is assigned a number from 5 (most disabled) to 8 (least) depending on their level of disability. Teams are allowed only one 8 on the field at a time, and Hensley is it for the U.S.
Playing soccer in a country with as much history and success as Brazil isn't lost on Kevin Hensley. And neither is the opportunity to represent his country.
The 24-year-old, a former all-state player at Collierville, will captain the United States as the Paralympics open Wednesday in Rio de Janeiro. The Americans open pool play Thursday against the Netherlands at the Deodoro Stadium.
"I think it's going to hit me pretty hard," said Hensley. "Everyone on the team has worked so hard for the chance to walk out there ... It's going to be emotional.
"And soccer in Brazil is just unreal. They'll play with a ball, or a Coke can or just some rolled-up towels."
Hensley's journey to the Games began Dec. 23, 2006, when he suffered a stroke. Three weeks earlier while playing in a tournament in Nashville, he had jumped to head a ball. The defender didn't, however, and Hensley fell hard, snapping his neck.
"My parents had gone Christmas shopping and when they came back, they saw that my soccer bag was in the sink, which obviously wasn't its normal place," Hensley said. "The CT scans really didn't show anything ... but then I heard the word 'stroke.' "
Hensley spent his freshman season at Collierville on the junior varsity before developing into a two-time all-state center back. That won him a chance to play at Carson-Newman.
Memory problems caused by the stroke made academics and soccer too difficult on the college level, and Hensley gave up playing and went into coaching. But soccer hadn't given up on him.
Two years ago, he received a call from head coach Stuart Sharp, inviting him to try out for the national team. The coach had stumbled across an article about Hensley.
"It (the stroke) was maybe a little bit of a silver lining," Hensley said. "I had been a happy honor student (before), but I was in a dark place for a few years."
Paralympic soccer is different from the regular game; there are seven players on a side instead of 11, the field and goalposts are smaller and games are 60 minutes instead of 90. And there's no offside rule, which often leads to free-flowing attacking play.
Each player on a team is assigned a number from 5 (most disabled) to 8 (least) depending on their level of disability. Teams are allowed only one 8 on the field at a time, and Hensley is it for the U.S.
"If you watched me, you wouldn't know there was anything wrong," said Hensley, who plays midfield for the national team.
The draw was tough for the U.S.; the Netherlands is the most successful team in Paralympic history with three gold medals since 1984 and Iran and Argentina are also strong. But Hensley said don't count the Americans out.
"Out of eight teams (in the competition), we're ranked eighth," he said. "But we've beaten Holland and Argentina over the last three years. Our goal is to medal."
http://www.commercialappeal.com/sports/preps/collierville-grad-captaining-team-usa-in-rio-3ba45e21-5442-6e6e-e053-0100007feda6--392505081.html
Source: John Varlas of The Commercial Appeal