Academy tennis coach to represent U.S. at Invictus Games

  • Published
  • By Amber Baillie
  • Academy Public Affairs
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. --  The men's tennis coach here who suffered two brainstem strokes a year and a half ago will represent the U.S. at the first-ever Invictus Games Sept. 10 - 14 in London.

Oosterhous, a 1993 Academy grad, is one of 22 Airmen selected to participate in the international sporting event at the site of the 2012 summer Olympics.

The games are for wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans and include 98 U.S. military athletes, as well as competitors from 13 other nations. Participants will compete in cycling, swimming, track and field, archery, wheelchair rugby, sitting volleyball, wheelchair basketball, indoor rowing, powerlifting and a driving challenge.

The U.S. is one of 14 teams to participate. Teams consist of athletes with post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, autoimmune diseases and amputations.

Oosterhous has been the men's tennis coach here since 1993. In February, he received the 2014 Brig. Gen. Malham M. Wakin Character and Leadership Award for his perseverance and resiliency after suffering two strokes, three weeks apart, with the second causing near paralysis on the left side of his body.

Oosterhous continues to set new rehabilitation goals and is also scheduled to compete in the Wounded Warrior Games Sept. 28-Oct. 4 in Colorado Springs.