Kyle Maynard speaks to business students

Professional athlete and best-selling author to address Liberty School of Business

The Liberty University School of Business will be holding a special convocation for students in athletics and from the School of Business on Friday, Oct. 21, which will feature 2004 ESPY award-winner and best-selling author of “No Excuses,” Kyle Maynard.

Having a renowned athlete and motivational speaker like Maynard speak at Liberty is a great asset for the School of Business and athletes because “he’s a Christian and will not only share ‘No Excuses,’ but his Christian faith,” according to Scott Hicks, the dean of the School of Business.

“(It will be beneficial) for our students to hear, at this point in the semester, from someone who literally has all the reason to make excuses, if you will, but he doesn’t,” Hicks said. “Our students need some of that.”

Maynard, 25, is a congenital amputee, which means that his “arms stop around where (his) elbows would be and (his) legs end slightly above the knees,” according to the official website of Kyle Maynard.

“His story begins as an 11-year-old that wanted to wrestle and a coach that gave him an opportunity to try,” the website states.

Maynard went on to win 36 wrestling matches during his senior year of high school. Since then, he has pursued weight training and achieved a world record in the modified bench press, as well as multiple other awards and recognitions that acknowledge his physical abilities as well as his humanitarian efforts, according to the official website of Kyle Maynard. There is currently a documentary being made that chronicles “his life and the pursuit of his first Mixed Martial Arts fight,” according to the website.

Mary Kerry, School of Business faculty support coordinator, said Maynard has appeared on ABC’s 20/20, HBO Real Sports, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The CBS Early Show and Larry King Live.

This special convocation will take place from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. in DeMoss 1113-1114. Maynard will also be available to sign copies of his book “No Excuses” in the hall outside of DeMoss 1113-1114 directly following the morning convocation.