Good Sports: Sam's aiming high in Paralympic goal

But that's exactly what happened to Sam Eardley, who lost the use of his legs after a serious spinal operation.

While it would have been easy to give up his passion for sport after such an experience, he decided to go straight in to something new.

Sam, who lives in Rosehill near Market Drayton, said: "When I first got paralysed in 2004 I spent six months in hospital and while I was there, there was someone else who played wheelchair basketball.

"He suggested I give it a go and it has all gone from there."

Sam had the initial operation after a condition he suffered as a child resulted in a blood clot on the spinal cord.

But the operation paralysed Sam and he has since been in a wheelchair.

Following the operation he was transferred to Oswestry Orthopaedic Hospital and had to lie flat for six weeks.

He spent his 15th birthday on the hospital's children's ward.

When he was allowed home three months later he initially had to sleep in the lounge before a floor lift was built to allow him to get to his bedroom.

"It was hard, as naturally it would be I suppose," said Sam.

"We got a reasonable amount of help from the hospital, they made sure we had the equipment and things we needed but obviously they do want to make sure you are out of hospital as well.

"So we got support, but it was limited.

"The whole thing was not ideal, but it was all right.

"Wheelchair basketball really helped me though.

"You've got the social side of it as well I think, which helps a lot.

"It helps you to make friends and I suppose in some ways you feel more normal again.

"You are with people who are going through similar things so nobody will look at you any differently."

The 22-year-old is now a shooting guard/point guard player for Wales Under-23s and has his sights set firmly on Team GB at the Paralympics in Rio next summer.

As he has had a passion for sport throughout his life, Sam took to his new challenge naturally.

"I think from being in hospital I built up a lot of upper body strength so I started off a lot stronger anyway than I would have been," he said.

"I guess I was pretty good from the start which was good. I used to play a lot of football but this is a totally different sport.

"I had played a bit of basketball at school beforehand as well so I understood some of the aspects but not so much about reading the game.

"Another thing is that some of the players are amputees, so they are not used to being in their chair all the time whereas I am always in my chair, so I am really used to moving about in it.

"A lot of people don't realise the basket is the same height as normal basketball – but honestly if it was any lower it would be too easy.

"There is quite a big difference in terms of team structure as well and it includes all different types of disability."

Sam, a former Adams Grammar School student, is studying a materials science degree at Oxford University and also regularly plays wheelchair tennis in Shrewsbury.

Despite his busy lifestyle, Sam recently helped his Wales team capture the Celtic Cup for the first time in the competition's history. The team won all four of their matches against Scotland and Ireland to lift the trophy in Bangor, Northern Ireland. He won't be at the club next year as his age will stop him from qualifying for his current team.

But since the achievement he has gone on to play for Wolverhampton Rhinos and Stoke Mandeville Aces and is now training five days a week.

He said: "I am quite competitive so that is probably the bit that I get most excitement from.

"But the social side of playing really has helped me a lot."

After eight years of the sport, Sam is still passionate about the game which has helped him come through some huge obstacles most would never dream of facing.