Clayton Brackett
- Number: 21
- Classification: 2.5
- Hometown: Birmingham, AL
Bio: While Clayton Brackett has been playing adapted sports since childhood, it wasn’t until college when he was introduced to wheelchair rugby. While playing wheelchair basketball at the University of Illinois, Brackett met now USA teammate, Chuck Aoki. Aoki convinced him to join a wheelchair rugby club, and the rest, as they say, is history. While wheelchair rugby may be known to most for its loud, hard-hitting nature, it was the more intellectual aspects of the sport that hooked Brackett. “It’s fun when you can predict something that will happen and cause the other team to mess up in your favor.” Brackett advanced through the wheelchair rugby ranks quickly, making his first national training squad in 2015 and going on to the represent the USA at the 2015 Parapan American Games in Toronto where the teamed earned silver. In 2017, he was again named to the National Team and helped bring home two gold medals while also earning Best in Class honors at the Japan Para Wheelchair Rugby Championship. After marrying his wife, Hannah, and focusing on other professional interests, Brackett eventually found his way back to elite competition. When asked what motivated him to try out for the team again, he responded, “To be honest, I lost my job in 2022 due to layoffs. At that moment I knew it was a sign to go for what I really wanted, to be a part of USAWR.” Joined by a healthy mix of veterans and newcomers, Brackett is looking forward to the team growing as one and proving his mettle as an impact player on the roster. When not competing for USAWR, Brackett enjoys getting outdoors and spending time with family and friends, including his pets Joey and Phoebe. He can also be found tinkering with his 3D printer or completing woodworking projects with his computer numerical control (CNC) router.