Alex Hendricks

Alexander William Hendricks (born April 13, 1996) is an American soccer player with cerebral palsy. He has paralysis on the left side of his body as a result of complications from a brain biopsy that created 2 strokes and a brain hemorrhage when he was 13 years old.

Hendricks plays cerebral palsy soccer for the USPNT. After being called up in 2011, he has won a bronze medal at the 2012 BT Paralympic World Cup in Manchester, England, and went on to participate at 2012 Summer Paralympics where the USPNT lost all 5 games they played. Following those Games, he has continued to be called up to the national team, including the 2014 American Cup in Toronto, Canada of which the USPNT won a bronze medal. More recently he joined the USPNT for the 2016 Pre Paralympic Tournament in Salou, Spain. He then went on to participate at 2016 Summer Paralympics where the USPNT won 1 game, tied 1 game and lost 2 games.

Personal Born on April 13, 1996, Hendricks is from Columbus, Ohio. In December 2008, when Hendricks was 13 years old, he became paralyzed on his left side as a result of complications from a brain biopsy that created 2 strokes and a brain hemorrhage. Prior to his medical issues, he was actively involved with sports including soccer. He continues to have partial paralysis in his left foot. After graduating, he attended Ashland University, and was a freshman in 2014 and was majoring computer science. Outside of school and soccer, his major hobbies were reading and playing video games.

Soccer Hendricks started playing soccer when he was 3 years old. He also participated in the 2012 Ukraine International Tournament. The high school junior was one of two players from Ohio on the squad. Their opener was against reigning Paralympic gold medal winners Ukraine. The Americans finished the tournament without winning a single game, losing all 5 matches they played in.

Following the Games, Hendricks continued to be a national team fixture. He was one of two goalkeepers who participated in a national team training camp in March 2013 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California. In April 2014, he was invited to participate in a week long national team training camp at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California. The camp was being held in preparation for the 7-a-side Football Ciutat de Barcelona in June of that year. Hendricks also competed at the 2014 American Cup in Toronto. The competition was a warmup for the World Championships that were held in England in June 2015. As the Rio Games got closer, he continued to be part of the national team. He took part in a national team training camp in Chula Vista, California in early March 2016. The United States finished 6th after beating Argentina in one placement match 4 - 3 and losing to Ireland 4 - 1. The goals scored in the match against Argentina were the first the USA scored in the tournament, before putting up one more in their match against Ireland. The tournament featured 7 of the 8 teams participating in Rio. It was the last major preparation event ahead of the Rio Games for all teams participating.