Class of 2004 Naperville North graduate Sarah Adam, an athlete with Multiple Sclerosis, is set to compete in the 2024 Paralympics, playing wheelchair rugby for the US Paralympic Team.
Adam was one of 16 athletes from across the country to be chosen for the USA national training squad. USA Wheelchair Rugby describes the sport as a cross between ice hockey and basketball. The Olympic contest will be held in late August through September in Paris.
Adam began her athletic career by playing softball at NNHS under Head Coach Jerry Kedziora. Adam explains how Coach Kedziora played a massive role in her athletic career.
“I was a freshman starting on varsity and there were a lot of tough moments being put outside of my comfort zone, but his belief in me and my ability to handle those situations and produce for the team gave me the confidence to eventually become a leader for that team as a senior,” Adam said in an email interview with The North Star.
Kedziora helped Adam gain confidence in herself, enabling her to evolve into a great leader on and off the field. He also spoke highly of her and how her leadership, mentality and athleticism lead to success for the team.
“She was a team player. She did everything she could for the team. I remember we were struggling at catcher, she played shortstop and we moved her to catcher (most people don’t want to do that) and we ended up playing much better that season because of it,” Kedziora said.
Adam aided the program by bringing passion and skill to the table. She consistently kept her team’s spirits high, leading to many successes for the team. Kedziora describes how she demonstrated commitment to whatever she was asked to do on the field.
“She was a student of the game. She was very mature in conversations when some things didn’t add up in her mind, she was a gracious teammate,” Kedziora said.
After college, Adam began playing wheelchair rugby. She felt a special connection with the game as it helped her find herself.
“As a para-athlete, I’ve seen how wheelchair rugby reconnected me with my identity as an elite athlete. And how it’s connected me with a community of people who understand my life as a person with a disability and who have taught me how to live that life without letting my Multiple Sclerosis get in the way,” Adam said.
