Our Paralympians

Amaris was born in Puerto Rico with a club foot. At 14 months old her parents made the decision to amputate her foot. After moving to St. Louis, Amaris joined DASA when she was 6 years old.

In 2022 Amaris was Internationally Classified and made Team Puerto Rico. She set personal records in Lima, Peru for all 3 of her events winning gold in all events. She has traveled to Mexico, Dubai, Chile, Bogota and Paris, as she trained for the 2024 Paralympics. During the 2024 games in Paris, she set season bests in her Paralympic debut in the 100M, 200M, and long jump!

A native of Lake St. Louis, MO, she is attending college at Mizzou.

Kendall, who was born with spina bifida, grew up swimming and competed on her high school's swim team. Kendall currently competes in cross country skiing and biathlon during the winter and paratriathlon in the summer.

She made her Paralympic debut as a winter-sport athlete, winning two gold medals in Nordic skiing at the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games, and competed at the 2020 and 2022 Paralympics as well.

Kendall first got involved with DASA and adaptive sports while attending Washington University in St. Louis. Through DASA she participated in wheelchair basketball, sled hockey, and wheelchair racing. She became involved in triathlon after her sophomore year of college, after she was encouraged to join a local paratriathlon club, Dare2tri, while at a swim practice. From there she was hooked on the sport. She especially loves the positive community aspect of triathlon, as well as being able to race outdoors. She is inspired the most by her fellow teammates because she takes motivation from seeing them work hard in practice every day.

In 2014, Gretsch was named the USA Triathlon Female Paratriathlete of the Year, and in 2015 she was nominated for an ESPY for Best Female Athlete with a Disability. She became a Paratriathlon Gold Medalist at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games and is a three-time World Paratriathlon Champion, earning the title in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Kerri Morgan was born in Port Jefferson, NY. When she was 1 year old, Kerri contracted Transverse Myelitis. Adaptive Sports were not readily available when she was young, but that didn't stop her from being a competitive swimmer. When she was in Graduate School at Washington University in St. Louis, a friend introduced her to Wheelchair Rugby. Kerri became the first woman to be on the US Quad Rugby Team! To cross train for rugby, Kerri did wheelchair racing. In 2008, Kerri represented the USA in her first Paralympic Games in wheelchair racing. Following those games, her focus became racing. Kerri, a T52, is a three-time Paralympian with four Paralympic medals. She's won 15 world championship medals, including three golds. And after coming away with gold in the 100-meter at the 2019 world championship, she was seeded first in the world in that event. Unfortunately, the International Paralympic Committee canceled all T52 Women's races right before the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. So, Kerri's racing career came to a halt.

Kerri continues to play Wheelchair Rugby with DASA's Rugby Team and is married to DASA's Program Director, Meghan, and they have twin boys, Sullivan and Oliver.

Eric was born in Nashville, Illinois. In 2006, Eric broke his neck in a car accident the night of his high school graduation. Eric found rugby weeks after his accident while going through therapy.

Eric has been on Team USA since 2013, and has represented Team USA in the last 3 Paralympic Games, winning silver medals in 2016, 2020, and 2024.

Eric lives in Godfrey, IL with his wife and 2 children.

Jake was born in Freeburg, Illinois. He broke his neck diving into a pool in 2014 when he was 22. Jake found DASA while working through rehab and was out at DASA events 1 week later!

While Jake has not been on the Paralympic team since being a part of Team USA, he is hopeful to be on the team this next cycle to compete and represent our country. He was a part of the National team that brought home silver in the 2022 World Championships.

Jake currently lives in Freeburg, IL and works as a substitute teacher for the Freeburg school district.

Sarah was born in Naperville, IL. She was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at 25 while studying occupational therapy. Sarah found DASA while working on experience hours for her schooling and transitioned from volunteer to athlete in 2019. She has been a member of the USA Rugby Team since 2022.

In 2024, Sarah became the first female to represent Team USA in wheelchair rugby in Paralympics history, winning a silver medal!

Sarah lives in St Louis, MO and is a professor of Occupational Therapy at Saint Louis University.

Josh Pauls is from Green Brook, N.J. He found a passion for sled hockey at an early age with hopes of becoming the first NHL goalie with no legs. Josh was born without tibia bones and had both legs amputated at 10 months old. After a few years and some convincing from his parents, he joined a local team, the New York Rangers Junior Sled Hockey club team in 2002. Moving through the ranks quickly and showing promise, he was invited to a USA Hockey Development Camp in 2007. Shortly after, he made his U.S. National Sled Hockey Team debut in 2008. In 2010, at age 17, he was the youngest member of the gold medal-winning squad at the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games. He went on to make his second Paralympic team, winning gold in Sochi and continues to be an integral piece in the team's international success. Josh was named Best Defenseman at the 2015 World Championships and 2016 Pan Pacific Championships.

Josh is a four-time Paralympic Gold Medalist (2010, 2014, 2018, 2022). He has been playing on the DASA team for 10 years and continues to be a leader to our next generation of sled hockey players!

Katie Ladlie was born in Troy, MO. She was born with Bockenheimer's syndrome, a rare vascular malformation. In June 2011 she had her left leg amputated above the knee to alleviate the pain caused by a lack of cartilage in the knee. Shortly after, Katie was introduced to adaptive sports at DASA and began playing Sled Hockey in 2013. Her international debut was in 2015! Katie helped Team USA win gold at the 2022 Women's World Challenge. The entire US Women's Sled Hockey Team hopes that Women's Sled Hockey will be included in the next Paralympic Games!

Katie has been an athlete, volunteer, intern and employee at DASA! In 2022, she began working as a Recreational Therapist at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston, MA. While we miss having Katie on DASA's Sled Hockey Team, we will always be proud of her accomplishments!

Billy Hanning was born in High Ridge, MO. At the age of 18, Hanning lost his right leg to cancer. Billy first learned about sled hockey after watching a local TV broadcast that featured DASA's Steve Cash. He joined the DASA Sled Hockey Team in 2008 and assisted the team in winning the 2013 USA Hockey Adult Sled National Championship. As a U.S. National Development Sled Hockey Team member, he was called up to the U.S. National Team in 2012 to play in the World Sled Hockey Challenge, marking his international competition debut. Billy continued to compete with the U.S. National Team, winning Gold in 2015 and Silver in 2017 at World Championships and the Gold Medal at the 2018 Paralympics in PyeongChang.

Steve Cash was born in Overland, MO and was a key resource in goal for the U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team. Cash, whose right leg was amputated due to osteosarcoma (bone cancer) at age three, started his sled hockey career with the DASA St. Louis Blues in 2004 and made his first U.S. Sled Hockey National Team in 2005. In 2009, he was named the USOC's Paralympic Sportsman of the Year. Following the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, in which he was named the tournament's MVP for stopping all 33 shots over five games, Cash was awarded an ESPY for Best Male Athlete with a Disability. Cash is a FOUR-TIME Paralympian, winning a Bronze in 2006 and Gold Medals in the 2010, 2014, and 2018 Paralympic Games. Steve Cash is the FIRST Paralympian to be inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame!

Steve retired from Team USA but continues to coach the DASA Athletes and be an integral part of teaching our next generation of Sled Hockey Players!