BUTLER TWP — Alex Brown isn't trying to make a point.

He's just trying to score points — for the North Catholic High School boys track and field team.

The Cranberry Township resident has been wheelchair-bound since the age of 4. He's been competing in track since third grade.

“I went to St. Alphonsus school (in Wexford) and they had an adaptive sports program,” Brown said. “I wanted to take advantage of that.

“Track seemed like the best sport for me. It was the one that made sense.”

Now a freshman at North Catholic, he competes in the 100 meters and shot put for the Trojans. He improved his season-best time and distance in those events at Saturday's Butler County Classic.

Brown completed the 100 meters in 21.45 seconds. His seed time coming into the meet was 25.50.

Wheeling down the track alone at Art Bernardi Stadium, he drew rousing applause from onlookers in the stands and athletes milling around the track.

“It's like that wherever he goes,” North Catholic coach Stacy Kopchak said of Brown. “Alex is a great kid, a great student and is very inspirational to every one on our team.

“When other kids see how hard he works at at, they realize how fortunate and blessed they are to have what they have. It makes them work harder.”

Brown tossed the shot put 11 feet, .04 feet. His seed distance for the Butler County Classic was 10 feet.

“I do the shot because logistically, I have a better chance with that than I would trying to throw a javelin or discus,” Brown said. “It's just common sense, really.”

The shot put Brown throws weighs 6.6 pounds. A regular high school shot put weighs 12 pounds.

“It's all adapted and adjusted,” his father, Eric Brown, said. “Alex's points do count in a regular meet. There's a conversion system that's used.”

Brown will compete at the WPIAL track and Field Championships. He will not be able to participate at the PIAA Championships, however.

“The WPIAL offers adaptive sports, the PIAA, as of now, does not,” his father said. “Hopefully, at some point, that will change.”

Brown, for one, isn't all that concerned about it.

He is not competing for himself.

“I just enjoy being part of a team and helping my team,” he said. “That's why I do this. Being a part of something like this makes all of the work worth it.”

And Brown puts in the work.

He's at practice with his teammates virtually every day. Kopchak said he goes through a couple of rounds of the 400 meters to build up his strength and quickness.

He does that to build up strength.

“With the 100, his start is critical,” Kopchak said. “Alex's drive and push pace are everything. He's 40 or 50 meters down the track before he hits full speed and that's half the race.

“His arms, his hands have to be so strong. He's pretty strong right now and he's only going to get better with the work he puts in.”

Kopchak pointed out that Pitt and Penn State both have adaptive track programs, should Brown choose to pursue the sport in college.

“My mother was paralyzed toward the end of her life. I have an uncle who is a paraplegic,” the coach said. “That history helps me out in working with Alex.

“We're blessed to have him. The entire team gravitates to him. He's such a dynamic personality.”