CHARLOTTE — The gold medal draped around Emma Schieck’s neck told you everything you needed to know about her biggest accomplishment as a Paralympian, but it couldn’t come close to revealing the full story behind that success.
Schieck shared that personally with students in the fourth, fifth and eighth grades at Our Lady of the Assumption School on Sept. 30 in Charlotte.
The 20-year-old sit-down volleyball player was some three weeks removed from serving the winning point during Team USA’s 3-0 victory over China in the gold medal match of the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.
Schieck, who suffered a brachial plexus injury at birth, does not have the ability to straighten her left arm, which has limited range of motion.
“Volleyball wasn’t always easy, but it didn’t stop me from falling in love with it,” said Schieck, whose involvement in stand-up volleyball began in third grade.
She candidly discussed setbacks in the sport, including her failure to make the school team as a seventh grader and a freshman while growing up in Statesville.
Resilience in the face of those rejections (and lifelong disability) propelled Schieck forward.
Our Lady of the Assumption Principal Tyler Kulp said those lessons will resonate with his students during these formative years.
“It’s incredible that someone can talk about their disability so openly and honestly,” Kulp said.
“I just think it’s powerful for our students to see someone tell their story about breaking through walls, being told no and still succeeding. It’s so important for our kids.”
Our Lady of the Assumption Secretary Kathy Spado organized the event and echoed those sentiments.
“It showed them the importance of being determined and not giving up,” Spado said. “Being told no made her work harder. She heard that a lot along the way, but now she’s on the highest ranked team in the world.”
Spado’s son Dante met Schieck at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and they are still dating.
Schieck will return to her studies in Sports Administration and Interpersonal Organizational Communication in January. She will do so after a slew of speaking engagements in the wake of her golden moment.
“I’ve been a lot more confident and comfortable,” she said. “I’ve been talking to so many people. It’s been super fun and something I’ve loved doing.”
The kids at Our Lady of the Assumption kept Schieck on her toes during a question-and-answer session.
“Who’s your favorite teammate?” asked one.
“Are there any teammates that you don’t like?” countered another.
The ensuing laughter kept things light until Schieck’s session ended with resounding chants of “USA, USA, USA” from students and faculty alike.
Then it was difficult to tell who or what was glowing more, Schieck or the 1 pound, 2-ounce gold medal she was still wearing. As she continues to help influence
young hearts and minds with her personal story, Schieck wants kids to remember one of the secrets to success.
“I hope they learn failures are great,” she said. “They can be awesome keys to learn and grow.”
— Kris Johnson, Correspondent