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When Paul Schulte started playing wheelchair basketball at age 14, he was no stranger to competitive sport. He had been playing basketball recreationally with friends for years. Except Paul was the only one playing in a wheelchair. The rest were hustling up and down the court and taking shots with two legs.
Sure it was difficult for him to keep up, but Paul saw it as a challenge, rather then an obstacle. Today he is an international star in the sport. His global achievements on the court have included Gold Medals as a member of the USA Men’s Team in the 1998 and 2002 Gold Cup (World Championships), Silver Medal in the 2006 Gold Cup, Bronze Medal in the 2000 Paralympics, and selected Tournament MVP of the 2002 World Championships.
When he’s not traveling the globe representing the United States, Paul works for sports chair manufacturer Top End as an engineer and plays wheelchair basketball for the Dallas Wheelchair Mavericks. He completed his degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2005. Paul also played on the U.T. Arlington team from 1997-2002. In his senior year, UT Arlington won the National Intercollegiate Championship. For his outstanding efforts, along with his academic achievements, he was named National Intercollegiate MVP, First Team All-American, Academic All-American and a co-winner of the Sportsmanship Award.
Paul’s next big goal is to pursue a gold medal at the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing, China, at which he is trying to balance a career in sports with a career in engineering. Given Paul’s remarkable achievements to date, if anybody can excel in two careers at the same time, he can.
ATHLETIC HIGHLIGHTS
2007: Gold Medalist, 2007 Parapan American Games (Rio de Janeiro)
2007: Division 1 National Champion, Dallas Wheelchair Mavericks (National Wheelchair Basketball Tournament), awarded 1st Team All-Tournament
2006: 2006: Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame Inductee (www.adhof.org)
2006: Silver Medalist, Gold Cup (2006 Gold Cup in Amsterdam, Netherlands)
2006: Division 1 National Champion, Dallas Wheelchair Mavericks (National Wheelchair Basketball
Tournament), awarded All-Tournament MVP
2005: Division 1 National Champion, Dallas Wheelchair Mavericks (National Wheelchair Basketball
Tournament), awarded All-Tournament MVP
2003: Division 1 National Champion, Dallas Wheelchair Mavericks (National Wheelchair Basketball
Tournament), awarded 1st Team All-Tournament
2003: ESPY Awards: Best Disabled Athlete Nominee
2003: Laureus World Sports Awards Nominee ( Monte Carlo, Monaco)
Category – Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability
2002: Gold Medalist and World Champion (2002 Gold Cup in Kitakyushu, Japan)
2002: World MVP (2002 Gold Cup)
2002: National Intercollegiate Champion, The University of Texas at Arlington, awarded Academic
All-American, Co-Sportsmanship Award, and MVP honors
2002: #20 Jersey Retired at the University of Texas at Arlington
2001: Bronze Medalist (2001 World Junior Championships in Brazil)
2000: Bronze Medalist, Paralympics (2000 Games in Sydney, Australia)
1999: Gold Medalist, Parapan American Games (Mexico City, Mexico)
1998: Gold Medalist and World Champion (1998 Gold Cup in Sydney, Australia)
1997: Silver Medalist (1997 World Junior Championships in Toronto, Canada)
1997: Junior Division National Champion, Grand Rapids Junior Pacers (National Wheelchair Basketball
Association), awarded All-Tournament MVP
1995: Junior Division National Champion, Grand Rapids Junior Pacers (National Wheelchair Basketball
Association), awarded All-Tournament Team |
