The UCLA Anderson Japan Chapter welcomed Ezra Frech (the youngest member of the Team USA competing in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics) and his father Clayton (Anderson School, Class of 1998) to hold a virtual event connecting Japan and LA, on July 23, 2021 (JST). Ezra and Clayton shared their journey, Ezra’s Paralympic dreams, their broader ambitions to impact the world, and their gratitude to UCLA. 60+ participants rooted for Ezra as well as got inspired by this impressive young man!
Ezra Frech is a 16-year-old motivational speaker, disability advocate, and Tokyo-bound Paralympian who happens to have deep family ties to UCLA. In fact, his Dad, Grandfather, and both uncles attended UCLA.
Ezra was born missing his left knee and shin bone, and had only one finger on his left hand. He received his first prosthesis at 11 months old and had surgery at 2.5 years old to remove the lower leg and transplant his big toe to his hand. Ezra has always loved sports and, on his running blade, played a variety of sports growing up, such as soccer, football, baseball, and club basketball.
He has been featured on national media outlets, including Good Morning America, the Ellen DeGeneres Show, Sports Illustrated Magazine and Bleacher Report. He is one of 28 “A Creators” for the LA 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee. He began his public speaking career at the age of 4 and has spoken to the Golden State Warriors, We Day (17,000+ people), SXSW, YPO, and many other schools, conferences, and companies. His mottos are “Being different is OK” and “You can dream it, you can hope for it, or you can make it happen.”
At 8 yrs. old, Ezra attended his first Paralympic track and field event and set the first of dozens of national youth records. At 11 years old, after watching the Rio Paralympic Games on livestream, he set his sights on making the Tokyo 2020 team, a dream that seemed crazy at the time. However, at 14 he made the US Paralympic Track Team and was the youngest athlete in the world at the Para Athletics World Championships. Now, he’s officially the youngest member of the US Paralympic Track Team heading to the Tokyo Paralympic Games, competing in high jump, long jump, and 100 meter.
In 2015, Ezra’s father, Clayton Frech (MBA Class of 1998), left the corporate world to start Angel City Sports with Ezra to provide free, year-round sports programming for kids, adults, and veterans with physical disabilities.
For more information on Ezra, Clayton and Angel City Sports, see below:
Ezra Frech:
Team USA Paralympian, Gold Medalist (in High Jump) & Bronze Medalist (in Long Jump & 100 Meter) in 2019 World Para Athletics Junior Championships, and Co-Founder of Angel City Sports
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[ Ссылка ] (Ezra Frech Story)
[ Ссылка ] (Official Paralympic Games’ Video)
Clayton Frech (Anderson School, Class of 1998):
Founder & Career Coach at Ampla Institute, Partner & Founder of Ampla Partners, and CEO & Co-Founder of Angel City Sports
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Angel City Sports:
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