ADAPTIVE RECORD ATTEMPT
Theo’s Big Throw
Theo started with a simple question: could he set a flying disc world record of his own? What followed was months of practice, experimentation and personal bests, culminating in a record attempt surrounded by his classmates and school community.
RECORD ATTEMPTED
WFDF U11 Boys Wheelchair Distance
THE OPPORTUNITY
Find a record that was Theo’s to pursue.
I met Theo in June 2024 while I was working with students at Citadel Park School in Calgary. Theo was 10 years old, in Grade 5, and used a wheelchair. During my time at the school, I suggested that he could attempt a flying disc world record of his own. His response was immediate: he wanted to do it.
The idea became the WFDF U11 Boys Wheelchair Distance record. From there, the challenge was figuring out how Theo could get the most out of his throw. We worked on his technique and experimented with different ways of throwing, while Assistant Principal Alison Bates-Church, his classmate James and others at the school helped him continue practising between the times I worked with him.
Theo gave up lunch recesses to practise in the gym and kept experimenting with what would make the disc travel farther. There wasn’t an existing performance we were trying to copy. The goal was to start with what Theo could do and see how much better he could become.
THE ATTEMPT
Months of practice came down to one throw at a time.
On November 25, 2024, Theo made his official attempt in the gym at Citadel Park School. His classmates and teachers filled the gym with signs, cheering and encouragement while he took his throws.
By then, the attempt represented months of work. Theo had practised throughout the fall, tested different throwing techniques and continued working even when his shoulder became tired. Each practice gave him another opportunity to figure out what worked, make an adjustment and try again.
On the day of the attempt, his best throw travelled 8.23 metres — 27 feet, establishing the WFDF U11 Boys Wheelchair Distance world record.
The measurement made the record official, but what stood out to me was the atmosphere around the attempt. This was Theo’s record, yet the whole school had become invested in seeing what he could do. When he returned to his classroom afterward, his classmates gave him a standing ovation.
WATCH THE STORY
Theo’s Big Throw
WHAT IT CREATED
Theo’s experience reinforced something that has become increasingly important in how I think about records: the right challenge has to belong to the person pursuing it.
We weren’t trying to make Theo fit somebody else’s version of what a world-record athlete should look like. We started with where he was, gave him a meaningful target and worked on finding the next personal best. The record stayed difficult, but progress gave him reasons to believe it was possible.
At the same time, something happened around him. His classmates helped him practise. Teachers created opportunities for him to work on his throw. Students made signs and filled the gym to cheer him on. What began as one student pursuing one measurable target became a shared experience for the school.
That’s one of the ideas that now sits at the heart of World Record Mindset™. A target can be deeply personal while still creating opportunities for other people to participate, encourage, problem-solve and celebrate progress alongside you.
The target was Theo’s. The pursuit became something his community could share.
YOUR NEXT RECORD
What could your next record be?
Whether it’s a world record, an organizational record or a personal best, the first step is identifying a target worth changing for.