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Best of 2008: Kingwood native makes name for herself in paracycling
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| Jennifer Schuble celebrates on the medal stand after winning the 500-meter time trial at the Paralympic Games in Beijing. |
By STEPHEN WHITFIELD
(from the Sept. 17 edition of the Observer)
Right now, Jennifer Schuble is riding her bicycle.
She may be racing some of the best athletes in the world in Beijing, or she may be training near her home in Alabama, but the odds are if one wants to find Schuble , it will be on her bike.
Schuble, a Kingwood native, is tough. Despite suffering from multiple sclerosis, she has established herself as one of the best cyclists in the country. She has burst onto the scene of the paracycling world over the past two years and now is in Beijing representing the United States at the Paralympic Games.
THE KINGWOOD KID
As a teenager growing up in Kingwood, Schuble was very active. She was a four-year letterman in track and field and also helped the Lady Mustangs win two state championships in soccer.
“When I was at Kingwood High School, every event I competed in I tried to do the best that I could,” Schuble said. “There was a lot of pressure. Kingwood High School is a very competitive high school. It gave me the foundation to be a successful college athlete.”
Schuble was a star on the athletic field, but academically, a bout with dyslexia put her far behind her peers academically.
Upon graduating from Kingwood High in 1995, Schuble , who hoped to become a pilot, originally set her sights on the United States Air Force Academy, but instead opted to attend the United States Military Academy because it was a better fit with her learning disability.
After a year at the Marion Military Institute in Alabama, Schuble enrolled at West Point with hopes of becoming a helicopter pilot.
However, Schuble suffered a brain injury during a hand-to-hand combat class in the spring of 1997. Although she recovered from that, the doctors at West Point were unwilling to clear Schuble for full physical training, and she eventually left the academy in June 1999.
THE TOUGH TIMES
From West Point, Schuble went on to the University of Alabama, where she got her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. She was not allowed to participate in athletics initially because of her brain injury, but after an appeal, she was able to run track in 2003.
However, in May 2003, just after her first track meet, Schuble was involved in an automobile accident that left her with another significant brain injury.
In addition to other injuries suffered in the accident - her right arm was crushed - Schuble learned a few months later that she had multiple sclerosis, a disorder that makes even the most basic bodily functions very difficult.
While Schuble’s hopes of a collegiate athletic career were gone, Schuble believes that the support system provided by her friends and family in Kingwood made a significant impact in her recovery.
“I’ve had some down times, and they’ve always been there for me,” Schuble said. “I’ve had people who took me around when I couldn’t drive. It’s just been a good support unit.”
THE RECOVERY
Part of Schuble’s physical recovery involved frequent trips to a HealthSouth training facility in Birmingham, Ala. Soon she felt well enough to start competing in triathlons, out of which she developed an interest in competitive cycling. From there, Schuble’s career took off.
After winning the road time trial at the Alabama State Championships, she went to the U.S. Paralympics Road Cycling Championships in Denver, Colo., where an incredible victory earned her a spot in the IPC Cycling World Championships with a chance to qualify for the U.S. Paralympic team.
At the world championships, Schuble won the time trial and road race and also placed second in the 3,000-meter pursuit.
Her performance automatically qualified her for the Paralympic Games, which lasted Sept. 6-18.
In Beijing, Schuble competed in the 500-meter time trial, the 3,000-meter pursuit and the individual time trial. She set a world record in the 500.
Right now, Jennifer Schuble is riding her bicycle.
She may be racing some of the best athletes in the world in Beijing, or she may be training near her home in Alabama, but the odds are if one wants to find Schuble , it will be on her bike.
Schuble, a Kingwood native, is tough. Despite suffering from multiple sclerosis, she has established herself as one of the best cyclists in the country. She has burst onto the scene of the paracycling world over the past two years and now is in Beijing representing the United States at the Paralympic Games.
THE KINGWOOD KID
As a teenager growing up in Kingwood, Schuble was very active. She was a four-year letterman in track and field and also helped the Lady Mustangs win two state championships in soccer.
“When I was at Kingwood High School, every event I competed in I tried to do the best that I could,” Schuble said. “There was a lot of pressure. Kingwood High School is a very competitive high school. It gave me the foundation to be a successful college athlete.”
Schuble was a star on the athletic field, but academically, a bout with dyslexia put her far behind her peers academically.
Upon graduating from Kingwood High in 1995, Schuble , who hoped to become a pilot, originally set her sights on the United States Air Force Academy, but instead opted to attend the United States Military Academy because it was a better fit with her learning disability.
After a year at the Marion Military Institute in Alabama, Schuble enrolled at West Point with hopes of becoming a helicopter pilot.
However, Schuble suffered a brain injury during a hand-to-hand combat class in the spring of 1997. Although she recovered from that, the doctors at West Point were unwilling to clear Schuble for full physical training, and she eventually left the academy in June 1999.
THE TOUGH TIMES
From West Point, Schuble went on to the University of Alabama, where she got her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. She was not allowed to participate in athletics initially because of her brain injury, but after an appeal, she was able to run track in 2003.
However, in May 2003, just after her first track meet, Schuble was involved in an automobile accident that left her with another significant brain injury.
In addition to other injuries suffered in the accident - her right arm was crushed - Schuble learned a few months later that she had multiple sclerosis, a disorder that makes even the most basic bodily functions very difficult.
While Schuble’s hopes of a collegiate athletic career were gone, Schuble believes that the support system provided by her friends and family in Kingwood made a significant impact in her recovery.
“I’ve had some down times, and they’ve always been there for me,” Schuble said. “I’ve had people who took me around when I couldn’t drive. It’s just been a good support unit.”
THE RECOVERY
Part of Schuble’s physical recovery involved frequent trips to a HealthSouth training facility in Birmingham, Ala. Soon she felt well enough to start competing in triathlons, out of which she developed an interest in competitive cycling. From there, Schuble’s career took off.
After winning the road time trial at the Alabama State Championships, she went to the U.S. Paralympics Road Cycling Championships in Denver, Colo., where an incredible victory earned her a spot in the IPC Cycling World Championships with a chance to qualify for the U.S. Paralympic team.
At the world championships, Schuble won the time trial and road race and also placed second in the 3,000-meter pursuit.
Her performance automatically qualified her for the Paralympic Games, which lasted Sept. 6-18.
In Beijing, Schuble competed in the 500-meter time trial, the 3,000-meter pursuit and the individual time trial. She set a world record in the 500.
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