The pathway to gold

Paralympic Basketball Gold Medalist Paul Schulte (front) with President Joe Biden’s hands on his shoulders at a special White House ceremony held September 30. Photo courtesy of the Schulte Family.

by Marsha Chartrand

It was an emotional day in Manchester on Saturday, October 26 — and not just for Wolverines fans. It was also emotional for Paul Schulte and his family — wife Megan (Greenwald) and son Brady, age 14, as they returned to Paul and Meg’s hometown for the first time since Paul led Team USA to the Gold in Paris in September. Brady, who watches and listens to every moment of his dad’s actions and words with pride and wonder. It was also an emotional reunion for long-time coach and retired athletic director Wes Gall, who mentored and encouraged Paul over the years, not to give up in his athletic endeavors despite a potentially career-ending injury in a car accident 35 years ago.

And now Paul has reached the pinnacle of Paralympic success. None of the credit goes to him, he will tell you humbly. For such an accomplished young man, Paul is incredibly humble. He gives credit to faith, family, and incredibly talented teammates, all of which is true. But it certainly isn’t all of the story. He was just fortunate, talented, and hard-working enough to be part of that team, and the timing goes along with some very incredible changes in his own life.

The 12 members of the 2024 USA Paralympic Basketball team. Paul Schulte of Manchester, far left, is the oldest member of the team at 45.

“It all worked together,” Paul says.

Yes, it has all worked together for the kid who started throwing a basketball with his friends around the courts at Kirk Park long before his injury. And then, when he got connected with wheelchair basketball, he was back, honing his skills in a new way. And he just kept working on it, in more new ways and with new helpers. He’s the first to admit that no one gets to his level on their own. It’s the process of making sacrifices, working through adversity of the sort that no one on the outside looking in would have blamed any of the Paralympians for backing down at any given point.

“But back then, I didn’t have the wisdom that I have now,” he admits. “I didn’t always listen to what they told me to do. Back then (he says, referring to his 2000, 2008, and 2012 efforts at the Paralympic Games, where Team USA earned two bronze medals), I was planting some seeds. Now, I’m harvesting.”

Paul’s career path has brought him in a unique direction, too. For many years, he has worked as an engineer for Top End Wheelchairs in Florida. He’s always had great work support, but with a recent change in company ownership, he has forged a close relationship with owner Kris Horner, who has given him additional opportunities and encouragement. Between prayer, having the right people fall into his way during the past year, and intensive training, it has all come together for Paul to be invited to join Team USA at age 45, and as the oldest member of the team, to lead them to the gold.

Paul’s LDS faith has been an integral part of his journey as well. “When I decided I was going to try out for the Paralympic team again, I just thought, ‘I don’t want to do anything where the Lord isn’t my partner in it,’” he said. “The Lord has helped me so many times in this process.”

Have there been downsides to it all? Probably. “You eat too much broccoli,” Brady stated outright. “I could never eat like you were eating.”

Ever the dad, Paul explained to Brady that it was just another life choice he made that had made this endeavor possible — and a success. “Did you like going to Paris?” he shot back. Brady acknowledged that he did, and that having to make a comparable choice at some point in the future might be possible for him to achieve similar results.

But, please, could it maybe not involve broccoli?

Paralympic Gold Medalist Paul Schulte visits his mentor and long-time Manchester athletic director Wes Gall last weekend during a visit to Manchester. (Photo by Marsha Chartrand.)

Paul’s Paralympic Gold Medal from Paris this fall — unassuming as he is, but definitely distinctive. (Photo by Marsha Chartrand.)

The Schulte Family at the White House — Brady, Megan, and Paul. (Courtesy Schulte family.)

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.