The Greyhound
Matt Kiebus
Issue date: 10/14/08 Section: Sports
One year ago Phil Scholz and Taxi walked the Evergreen campus in anonymity. He was a blind student lead by his yellow Labrador retriever. People knew who Scholz was, but no one knew Phil, the talented student-athlete who was about to take the campus by storm.
Flash forward one year later.
Now Scholz is one of the most well known students on campus. In the past year his story has been featured on ESPN.com, in the Baltimore Sun, and local TV stations. He threw out the first pitch at a Baltimore Orioles game. He was nominated for an ESPY in the category of Best Male Athlete with a Disability. He has set American swimming records almost every time he jumped in a pool. After his publicity and record swim times, Scholz earned a spot on the U.S. Paralympic team. From anonymity to limelight, Scholz found himself swimming in "The Cube" in Beijing one week after Baltimore's golden child Michael Phelps proved he isn't human and actually a fish.
Scholz's last year has been a fairytale, and the trip to Beijing was the pinnacle.
"Someone really had to pinch me," joked Scholz.
Before Scholz flew to Beijing, he ventured to Colorado where he met the U.S. Paralympic team. Scholz spent three days in Colorado, getting oriented to his eight new coaches and thirty-seven teammates, before flying across the world to compete in Beijing against world class athletes in a venue that is truly one of a kind.
However, Scholz's next stop on his Paralympic journey was Kadina Air Force base in Japan where he and the rest of the U.S. team got adjusted to the 12-hour time difference between Baltimore and Japan. Here, the team continued to bond and build chemistry. Scholz was one of the many Paralympic rookies on the team, which roughly made up one third of the team. He was one of three legally blind swimmers on the team; however, he was the only completely blind swimmer.
The Paralympic games take place one week after the Olympic games conclude. The Paralympic athletes are treated the same as Olympic athletes. They live in the Olympic village with athletes from countries all around the world. Scholz met athletes from Poland, Ukraine, Japan and, of course, China. While he lived in the Olympic village, Scholz and the other athletes traded their countries pins, and Scholz came back to the United States with around 50.
The opening ceremonies at the Paralympic games also took place in the "Bird's Nest." If you recall the four hour ceremony with the amazing synchronized dancers and visually stunning pyrotechnics, this is the same venue. The American Paralympic team walked out waving to the crowd in the same Ralph Lauren outfits that Phelps, Katie Hoff and the Redeem Team sported during the opening ceremony.
Loyola swim coach Brian Loeffler and his family also went to Beijing to cheer on Scholz.
"To see him compete in such an amazing facility was a once in a lifetime experience," said Loeffler. "The Chinese did everything to make it look and feel like the Olympics."
Many of Scholz's German family also flew out to Beijing to root him on.
"They were excited for me and really excited for Taxi," said Scholz.
Scholz qualified for five events at the swimming competition: 100 meter butterfly, 400 meter freestyle, 100 meter freestyle, 100 meter backstroke and 50 meter freestyle. The big difference between swimming in the Olympics and Paralympics was that the finals in the Olympics were held in the morning because of the star power of Michael Phelps; the time difference let his races air live in prime time. The Paralympic qualifying races were held in the morning, and the finals were at night.
Scholz qualified for the finals in the 100 meter butterfly and the 400 meter freestyle. He finished eighth in the 100 meter fly and fifth in the 400 meter freestyle. Scholz led the 400 free after the first 100 meters and was in medal contention after 300 meters. Although Scholz didn't medal during his first trip to the Paralympics, the journey was still a fulfilling experience.
"The games were an experience I'd never trade for the world." Said Scholz
Outside the competition, Scholz got to experience some sight-seeing in China. The Paralympic team made a trip to visit the Great Wall of China, the only manmade structure you can see from space and the Beijing Silk Market.
"The builders of the Great Wall probably never thought a group of Paralympic athletes would be trying to navigate the Great Wall," said Scholz.
Scholz always shows a good sense of humor with his disability. On the flight home he was seated in the exit row. When the flight attendant noticed this, he responded he might not be the best person to sit there in case of an emergency.
The next step is London in 2012, where Loeffler believes Scholz should be in medal contention in the 100 meter butterfly and 400 meter freestyle.
But for now, Phil Scholz is just another sophomore at Loyola College, with one hell of a story.
Flash forward one year later.
Now Scholz is one of the most well known students on campus. In the past year his story has been featured on ESPN.com, in the Baltimore Sun, and local TV stations. He threw out the first pitch at a Baltimore Orioles game. He was nominated for an ESPY in the category of Best Male Athlete with a Disability. He has set American swimming records almost every time he jumped in a pool. After his publicity and record swim times, Scholz earned a spot on the U.S. Paralympic team. From anonymity to limelight, Scholz found himself swimming in "The Cube" in Beijing one week after Baltimore's golden child Michael Phelps proved he isn't human and actually a fish.
Scholz's last year has been a fairytale, and the trip to Beijing was the pinnacle.
"Someone really had to pinch me," joked Scholz.
Before Scholz flew to Beijing, he ventured to Colorado where he met the U.S. Paralympic team. Scholz spent three days in Colorado, getting oriented to his eight new coaches and thirty-seven teammates, before flying across the world to compete in Beijing against world class athletes in a venue that is truly one of a kind.
However, Scholz's next stop on his Paralympic journey was Kadina Air Force base in Japan where he and the rest of the U.S. team got adjusted to the 12-hour time difference between Baltimore and Japan. Here, the team continued to bond and build chemistry. Scholz was one of the many Paralympic rookies on the team, which roughly made up one third of the team. He was one of three legally blind swimmers on the team; however, he was the only completely blind swimmer.
The Paralympic games take place one week after the Olympic games conclude. The Paralympic athletes are treated the same as Olympic athletes. They live in the Olympic village with athletes from countries all around the world. Scholz met athletes from Poland, Ukraine, Japan and, of course, China. While he lived in the Olympic village, Scholz and the other athletes traded their countries pins, and Scholz came back to the United States with around 50.
The opening ceremonies at the Paralympic games also took place in the "Bird's Nest." If you recall the four hour ceremony with the amazing synchronized dancers and visually stunning pyrotechnics, this is the same venue. The American Paralympic team walked out waving to the crowd in the same Ralph Lauren outfits that Phelps, Katie Hoff and the Redeem Team sported during the opening ceremony.
Loyola swim coach Brian Loeffler and his family also went to Beijing to cheer on Scholz.
"To see him compete in such an amazing facility was a once in a lifetime experience," said Loeffler. "The Chinese did everything to make it look and feel like the Olympics."
Many of Scholz's German family also flew out to Beijing to root him on.
"They were excited for me and really excited for Taxi," said Scholz.
Scholz qualified for five events at the swimming competition: 100 meter butterfly, 400 meter freestyle, 100 meter freestyle, 100 meter backstroke and 50 meter freestyle. The big difference between swimming in the Olympics and Paralympics was that the finals in the Olympics were held in the morning because of the star power of Michael Phelps; the time difference let his races air live in prime time. The Paralympic qualifying races were held in the morning, and the finals were at night.
Scholz qualified for the finals in the 100 meter butterfly and the 400 meter freestyle. He finished eighth in the 100 meter fly and fifth in the 400 meter freestyle. Scholz led the 400 free after the first 100 meters and was in medal contention after 300 meters. Although Scholz didn't medal during his first trip to the Paralympics, the journey was still a fulfilling experience.
"The games were an experience I'd never trade for the world." Said Scholz
Outside the competition, Scholz got to experience some sight-seeing in China. The Paralympic team made a trip to visit the Great Wall of China, the only manmade structure you can see from space and the Beijing Silk Market.
"The builders of the Great Wall probably never thought a group of Paralympic athletes would be trying to navigate the Great Wall," said Scholz.
Scholz always shows a good sense of humor with his disability. On the flight home he was seated in the exit row. When the flight attendant noticed this, he responded he might not be the best person to sit there in case of an emergency.
The next step is London in 2012, where Loeffler believes Scholz should be in medal contention in the 100 meter butterfly and 400 meter freestyle.
But for now, Phil Scholz is just another sophomore at Loyola College, with one hell of a story.
No comments:
Post a Comment