Throughout my sporting life, I have never had to worry about being unable to participate. For John Willis, a man born without fully formed arms and legs, things have always been a little different.

John’s story is extraordinary. Like many, he has an indomitable passion for the sporting world. Things become a little trickier, however, when you aren’t afforded the opportunities to play the games you love. But in 2012, encouraged by his friends, John took part in a triathlon relay with two able-bodied friends, smashing the swimming leg as his trio aimed to have a blast and uphold their mantra of not coming last. They accomplished both objectives.

Of course, that lifelong sporting itch was by no means scratched: this was only the beginning. Four years later, John had a new challenge, John’s ‘Road2Rio’, where Willis garnered national attention by participating in all 34 Olympic and Paralympic sports in the lead-up to the Olympic Games, raising thousands of pounds for his charity. From taekwondo to table tennis, the Cambridgeshire man proved that disability should never be a barrier to participation in sport. Nowadays, his charity puts on countless ‘PowerHouseGames’ - multi-team events that celebrate inclusive and adapted sports, such as boccia and goalball.

“even in his office, he is surrounded by his own inclusive sports inventions”

Yet things were very different during Willis’ childhood. In the 1960’s, disabled people were hidden. With a constricted education system, pupils were pushed into special needs schools, where, as John explains, he was “taught” how to be disabled. There was no exciting future, no job prospects, and certainly no chance of taking any O-Levels (now GCSEs), which John’s former headteacher made very clear. 13 O-Levels, 3 A-Levels, and a very necessary change of school later, Willis matriculated at Trinity Hall, Cambridge to read Law. Understandably, he’s always wanted to pay his old headteacher a visit!

As a young sports fan, John could not play the sports he loved to watch. His parents were both high-quality hockey players he supported his school rugby side and even became a cricket scorer, yet nobody had the imagination to help him play any of these sports. He was left to get his fix by battling his sister in croquet, holding the mallet under his left arm and swinging sideways as if it were a golf club.

At Cambridge, John continued to play croquet for his college, yet it was his captivating experience coxing in his college’s boat club which stood out to me. John was an invaluable member of the college crews; like many, he picked up the sport at university and went on to cox at the Fairbairn Cup. As we discussed technological developments in inclusive sport, John was adamant that if he were to be coxing nowadays, he would not have to be physically tied to the boat as he had been. It was not this, however, that prevented him from coxing in the Lent and May Bumps.

As anyone who has ever watched the quintessential Cambridge sporting spectacle knows, Bumps can often err on the dangerous side. The coxswain, who is positioned closest to an onrushing boat, is left vulnerable to collisions from bow balls and flailing oars. Therefore, deemed unable to sufficiently defend himself, John was devastatingly forced to withdraw from his coxing responsibilities ahead of the Cambridge college rowing calendar’s most prestigious event.

“inclusive sport does not just benefit disabled people”

At times, John reflects that it was the correct decision, especially as his crew had concerns that he would have to concede a bump earlier than other coxes. At other times, he has been left vexed by the ruling. Looking back, he suggests that a “halo” (as seen in Formula 1) implemented at the back of a boat could have been an option. What was evident from our discussion is that John is a man who now firmly believes that every sport can be modified to suit anyone: even in his office, he is surrounded by his own inclusive sports inventions.

John regaled me with fascinating stories from his time as a student at Cambridge. Two stood out - John received no extra time in exams until he got to his finals, while he also had a rota of Trinity Hall students volunteer to assist him in getting dressed every morning. John explained that his college was remarkably supportive, even if this support came from an incredibly restricted mindset. There is no blame, John admits, as his perspective was just as limited.

The aim of Power2Inspire is to expand the horizons of people of all ages who are too often excluded from sporting activities. John and the team run their very own PowerHouseGames, which team up children from independent, state, and special needs schools alongside corporate volunteers and university sports players. In Cambridge, numerous groups have been involved, whether it be Willis’ beloved university rugby side or colleges like Lucy Cavendish and Gonville and Caius. This term, the Cricket Club, the Hawks and Ospreys, and Murray Edwards College will all be involved in PowerHouseGames. Whether it’s sitting netball (a sport that John invented), new-age curling, or touch rugby, participation is at the crux of the event. The former Cambridge women’s rugby captain remarked to John during the Games that this was the first time the men's and women’s sides had been treated completely equally. I loved this story, as inclusive sport does not just benefit disabled people.

Willis told me that 67% of disabled people want to play sports with their non-disabled peers, crystallising the importance of his charity. In an era of obesity, loneliness and a strained NHS, John finds it mind-boggling that more money isn’t being pumped into sports. As any medical expert will tell you, the best pill you can give for health, mental or physical, is exercise.

Willis believes passionately that we must get people more engaged in their communities, now more than ever in a post-COVID-19 world. What better way than through being active? Putting on 30 PowerHouseGames, which will involve 2,000 people getting engaged in inclusive sport, is the charity’s aim for 2025.

John is a man intent on providing opportunities and improving the lives of those around him. Power2Inspire does exactly what it says, and John Willis has embodied this mantra throughout his life. With the Cambridge half-marathon racing back into town on the 9th of March, make sure to support the numerous Cambridge students running for Power2Inspire. The positive impact that Willis and his work has is truly life-affirming.

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