HOWDY! I'M MAT!
I've been adapting since I was born.
Turns out it's the most useful skill I have.
BORN ADAPTING
I was born with cerebral palsy affecting my right side.
Growing up I tried to hide, tried to fit in, tried to be like "everyone."
That all changed when I got older.
I found community and purpose when I stopped trying to fit in.
I learned to see problems, solutions, and opportunities:
every constraint has a way through if you find it before the clock runs out.
Husband of Emily. Step-dad to Liam and Evan. Dad to Jackson.
Raised in—and committed to—the United Methodist Church.
Fascinated by human spaceflight.
Honest about the good, the bad, and the ugly.
THE WORK
I run production and online engagement
at Hyde Park United Methodist Church in Tampa, FL.When things have to adapt and change in a live event,
I'm the one who stays calm and works on solutions.Live production is adaptation under pressure. I love it.
THE FITNESS
In 2023 I started competing in adaptive CrossFit—Neuromuscular Moderate division.
Fourth place. Then fourth again. Then second.
Tons of friends and amazing memories.
I learned I could adapt my body just as much as my mind.
Strong. Capable. Loved.
Those three words became my mantra.
The Adaptive Athlete Podcast
Somewhere along the way
I realized the athletes I admired most never got asked their stories.
So I started asking.
The Adaptive Athlete is where those conversations live.
Stories of adaptive athletes in CrossFit and beyond.
New episodes drop Tuesdays. Season 2 is airing now.