Since the time he could walk, Scott “Scooter” Ward knew that basketball was going to be his life. His father was a basketball coach in Kingman, Kan., and he engulfed Ward’s life in athletics.
Everything in Ward’s childhood was physical. He ran, swam but most of all he played basketball. Basketball was everything to him, and he was good.
His life was set. Scott Ward knew what he wanted, and he was on the road to making basketball his profession. At the end of high school, recruiters were watching him. He had a knee injury, but in hindsight, that was the smallest hurdle he would have to overcome.
After high school, Ward went to Hutchinson Community College while his knee healed. What happen next turned his life upside down.
At a college party at the end of his freshman year, Ward broke his neck. Diving onto a slip-and-slide, for which he admits college students are too old, he landed on his chest and dislocated the bones in his neck. The accident immediately paralyzed him from the waist down.
“It was just a freak accident,” Ward said. “It wasn’t anything I could prevent.”
Ward’s hopes of being a basketball player vanished in an instant, but nothing could take away his love of sports. Despite a lot of advice, Scott’s goals for his future didn’t change drastically.
“I said wait a second. I love sports. I want to stay doing that,” Ward said, “and that is exactly what I did.”
Ward transferred to the University of Kansas and received a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science, a master’s degree in Sports Administration and a doctorate in Sports Psychology and Counseling Psychology.
Ward chose to go into a field where people around him built their lives on physical ability, sports and a sports mentality. He surrounded himself with active people, because that is what he knew.
Ward’s disability is not reason he stands out in his field. It is not that he had to overcome a painful and mentally challenging rehabilitation. Beyond his dream of basketball, Ward had a natural inclination toward success. With his expertise and people skills, Ward may have traveled the world doing a variety of jobs. But what Ward wants most is to influence people around him to fulfill their potentials.
Caroline Carlissimo, a close friend from graduate school, said Ward has the most outstanding attitude about life than anyone she knows.
“He puts off a terrific vibe,” she said. “People just want to be around him.”
Carlissimo remembers meeting Ward in Robinson Hall and connecting instantly.
“It’s not because he is in a wheelchair,” she said. “He just rubs off on people.”
Carlissimo said Ward’s confinement to a wheelchair was never an issue, because he never made it an issue. The fact that he chose a sports-related field astounded Carlissimo.
“I think that says a lot about his personality. Scooter carries an optimistic attitude into everything that he does,” she said, “and people notice it.”
Carlissimo said that the grad students in Ward’s field were all on the same page.
“We were there to motivate each other, not compete,” she said.
Ward said, “Some of my best friends come from my grad school. It is good to have old friends and college chums.”
They worked hard and played hard building lasting friendships, Carlissimo said. The only thing about Ward’s disability that she noticed was how it opened her eyes to issues most people would never think about, like going to the library and trying to reach a book on the top shelf.
“One time I got Scooter down an escalator in his chair,” Carlissimo said. “Other than that, we never really gave it much thought.”
Twelve years later, Ward is still at the University of Kansas as an instructor and an academic advisor for the basketball and volleyball teams. A three-time KU grad, Ward attends the men’s basketball games regularly. He has taught a wide variety of courses such as the coaching of basketball, and he even coached at Roy William’s basketball camp.
Linsey Morningstar plays KU volleyball. She transferred to the University of Kansas to play her senior year with Ward’s help.
“I just love to tell people about all the effort Scooter put into helping me,” Morningstar said. “If it wasn’t for Scooter, I wouldn’t be eligible to play at all.”
Morningstar said she always feels comfortable popping her head into Ward’s office for a question or counseling. Ward sets up tutors for her and the other volleyball players and keeps them accountable.
“Scooter wants us to be as happy as we possibly can,” Morningstar said, “and he works so hard to make that happen.”
Patsy Brandt works with Ward on a daily basis. She is the academic advisor for the football team. She said she can’t imagine working in the athletic department without Ward, because the atmosphere is different when he is gone.
“Scooter taught me never to give up on a problem,” Brandt said. “There is always a solution.” She added jokingly, “Plus I think he is really hot; all the girls like him.”
Unfortunately, "Scooter" Ward is taken.
Ward’s wife of two years, Robin, said that she was immediately attracted to him because he puts people at ease.
“He calms my fears and makes me feel like everything will be okay,” she said.
Robin Ward said that a lot of people know and recognize him on campus, but the people who don’t are really missing out.
“Everyone should know Scooter, because just knowing him makes your life better,” she said. “I mean that.”
Scott Ward’s eyes become soft when the conversation turns to Robin, and a faint smile that he cannot hide is painted on his face.
“She really compliments me,” Scott Ward said.
Both Scott and Robin Ward agree that interest-wise they are completely different. Robin owns her own graphic design business, and is very artsy. Scott said that although they do very different things, they meet on a mental level of deep appreciation for each other.
“I love being married to Scooter,” Robin Ward said. “It’s really easy and fun to be with him, and he’s kind of cute.”
Robin said that it took several years before they decided to get married, but her marriage to Scott was one of the best things she could have done.
“For a while I thought that I might travel a bit,” Scott Ward said. “Now that I am married, I think that Lawrence is right where I need to be.”