The Milwaukee Post

September 12, 2014 • Milwaukee County Post • 17 'Life without a limb is limitless' By MATT MASTERSON Conley News Service MILWAUKEE — Bobby McCardle still isn't quite sure how David Van Sleet found him. A Hales Corners native now residing in Franklin, McCardle was a member of the 1st Battalion 4th Marines out of Camp Pendleton serving in the Iraqi town of Al Qa'im as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In April 2007, McCardle was in an area outside the town when he was injured by an IED — an impro- vised explosive device. "With my injury, my leg was as broke as it could be," he said. "I remember looking down at it and the bone was sticking right out and my leg was facing the other way." Doctors spent the next month attempting to salvage his right leg before they eventually resorted to amputating the portion below his right knee. McCardle said it took him about three months before he was out of the hospital and comfortable walk- ing on a prosthetic leg. It took a full year before he was efficient with it. In 2011, McCardle got a call from Van Sleet — a South Florida resident who had a career in pros- thetics — inviting him to attend an all-amputee softball camp at the University of Arizona. "I don't know how David found me, but I got a call from him out of the blue one day," he said. "I had no idea who he was and he said he wanted to start up a softball camp. It was just going to be this one-time thing, a week long." But the players wanted to keep playing and soon after the one- time, weeklong program ended, a new year-round, nationwide team was born — the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball team — made up solely of veteran amputees who suffered their injuries since 2001. The team will make a visit to Waukesha this weekend for a dou- bleheader Saturday afternoon. Van Sleet served as the team's coach for its first three years, but as the team has grown, he has taken on more of a behind-the- scenes role as its CEO and general manager. "I got to hand-select every mem- ber of this team," he said. "To be on this team now — it is 75 percent your physical ability and the other 25 percent is your mental health and the chemistry." He said the team is built around a singular motto: "Life without a limb is limitless." The team stands at approxi- mately 24 members who reside across the U.S. — from Colorado to Massachusetts and Texas to Washington — who meet in differ- ent cities and compete in softball games on weekends throughout the year. McCardle and Josh Wege, of Cambellsport, are the team's two Wisconsin representatives. "We are honored to have Bobby and Josh play in Waukesha for their 'home team' of Wisconsin supporters," Joanna Adamicki, special events coordinator for the city's Parks, Recreation & Forestry Department, said in a release. "There is so much excitement sur- rounding this game from the com- munity, we expect a great show of support." Van Sleet said the WWAST team will only play against able- bodied opponents — a list mainly comprised of local police and fire department teams, but also includes the Notre Dame women's softball team and the U.S. Olympic team. "Throw is at us, give it to us," Van Sleet said, "we are ready to play." While the players are spread out across the nation, Van Sleet said they keep in regular contact with each other over the phone and through texting. Some even play video games against each other online. Both player and manager said the camaraderie on the team is beyond anything they have seen. "I am married with kids and I am well-mingled into the civilian life," McCardle said, "but it is nice to go back — and even though I did- n't serve with these people — we all came from similar back- grounds, similar experiences so it is almost like the feel of your brothers that you did serve with." Being around people who have been through the same situation has not only helped McCardle's morale, but it has also given him a chance to keep up to date on the latest prosthetic equipment. He said he will have friends and family in town who will be "forced" to watch him play softball this weekend. "I hope they at least pretend to enjoy it." he said with a laugh. The Warriors will play a pair of games Saturday — at 1 p.m. against the "Local Heroes and Celebrities" team, and then again at 3 p.m. against Waukesha Softball League players. Both games will take place at the Saratoga Softball Complex, 301 South Prairie Ave., and are free and open to the public. Van Sleet said he appreciates visiting and playing in smaller communities like Waukesha, which are a "lifeline" for the team. "We could go to L.A. and we would be one of 1,000 events that weekend," he said. "We go to Waukesha — with the preparation they put in for this and the plan- ning — we are the event in Waukesha this coming weekend." The Wounded Warriors team operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which survives off donations and services in kind. To donate, visit woundedwarrioram- puteesoftballteam.org. Contact Matt Masterson mmasterson@conleynet.com Wounded Warrior Softball team to play in Waukesha on Saturday; Hales Corners native part of team Submitted photo Josh Wege makes a diving throw during a recent Wounded Warrior Softball team game. Submitted photo Former Hales Corners resident Bobby McCardle is a member of the Wounded Warrior Softball team. MILWAUKEE — The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and the University of Wisconsin-Extension Center for Technology Commercialization have selected 11 Ideadvance Seed Fund grant recipients from the UW system, each to receive up to $25,000. "There is no question that innovation is taking place at UW campuses throughout the state," Gov. Scott Walker said. "One of the unique aspects of Ideadvance is that it provides students, faculty and staff at cam- puses outside of Madison with the training and additional resources they need to help to turn those great ideas into job-creating companies." The recipients and their respective cam- puses are: ■ BioMass Builders, UW-Milwaukee ■ GolfLip, UW-Stout ■ Healthier Youth, UW-Oshkosh ■ Healthware, UW-Oshkosh ■ Intelligent Composites, UWM ■ Isopoint Technologies, UWM ■ Mesmer, UWM ■ Mobile Transit Solutions, UW- Parkside ■ OptSolv, UW-Whitewater ■ Refined BioProducts, UW-Stevens Point ■ Sleep Environment Innovations, UWM There are now 23 teams receiving grants, along with startup training, business guid- ance and business resources, including mar- ket analysis, consulting fees and legal assis- tance. The grants are dispersed in two stages. There is an initial $25,000 grant, and a $50,000 stage two grant, which these latest 11 grantees will be eligible to receive in December. The fund provides up to $75,000 in two stages to support entrepreneurs and wel- comes ideas from the humanities, social sci- ences and liberal arts. The next round starts in October. New applicants should contact New Idea Concierge Idella Yamben at uwidead- vance@uwex.edu or call 608-263-3315 for assistance in preparing a competitive pro- posal. — John Holman, Special to The Post Eleven UW entrepreneurs selected for Ideadvance Seed Fund grants

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