Ex-Concordia swimmer undaunted in quest for Paralympic spot
Jessica Greenwald can swim a 100-meter breaststroke in two minutes and 36 seconds, using mostly the strength of her upper body.
Born with mild cerebral palsy, the 22-year-old Concordia University Irvine graduate has limited mobility in her legs. But she never let that stop her from dashing through the water and, eventually, to the 2016 U.S. Paralympic Team Trials this month in Charlotte, N.C.
The trials were the qualifying rounds for the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, an international event in September where athletes with limited abilities will participate in more than a dozen sports, including cycling, wheelchair basketball and swimming.
Though Greenwald came home from the trials without qualifying for a spot on the U.S. Paralympic swimming team this year, she has her sights on the 2020 Games in Tokyo.
“I did awful, but I want to show people that you should not be afraid to fail and not let silly obstacles get in the way of dreams,” Greenwald said. “You can learn from failures, try again and enjoy the journey.”
Greenwald, who spent her college career swimming for Concordia’s team, has been gliding through the water since she was 4 years old.
Growing up in Orange, she spent much of her time at a neighbor’s pool across the street from her house.
She later joined the novice swim team at Villa Park High School during her sophomore year.
When the time came to move on to college, she was recruited by Concordia and chose to attend the private Christian university to learn more about her faith, she said.
The Concordia swim team’s head coach, Jeff Boss, joined the team in 2012 during Greenwald’s first year.
“Her freshman year was my freshman year,” Boss said. “As a swimmer, she grew tremendously in her confidence level and her willingness to train harder. We pushed her to do well, and she’s done well.”
Outside the pool, Greenwald held leadership positions such as tutor and peer advising leader on campus.
“Jessica had some fears” of going to college, said Kristy Fowler, Concordia’s director of first-year experience programs and initiatives. “But she passed those fears, and she’ll take on any challenge. Nothing will stop her.”
On the swim team, Greenwald would make it to the pool at 5:45 a.m. Mondays through Fridays for practices and return to the water from 1 to 3 p.m. for more.
Teammates would give Greenwald rides to practice at the Woollett Aquatics Center in Irvine because she cannot drive.
“My team is everything,” Greenwald said.
Two years ago at a qualifying event for the 2016 Paralympic Trials, Greenwald’s teammates huddled and cheered around the pool where she swam a personal-best breaststroke that ultimately earned her a spot in the trials at Charlotte.
Teammate Samantha Leanza joined Greenwald at the trials as her assistant on deck.
“I helped her get in and out of the water, carry her stuff and make sure her walker is where it’s supposed to be,” Leanza said.
After taking a red-eye flight to Charlotte, Greenwald said she was exhausted. She feels the weariness played a role in her disappointing times in her events.
“My legs are naturally tighter than other people’s and I was stuck on a plane and couldn’t move for hours on end,” Greenwald said.
She said her goal wasn’t necessarily to make the U.S. team this year but to experience the trials as part of her journey to the 2020 Paralympics.
In preparing for that, she plans to search for a coach for more training and a nutritionist to advise her on what to eat. She also wants to find a way to learn to drive.
“My eating habits will change. I have limited time with friends and I have to figure out what my workout schedule will be,” she said. “I had a hard time giving things up, and sometimes I questioned if I could give things up.”
But, she added, “you have to dream. Tokyo is a big dream, but the road to get there will be really exciting.”
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Alex Chan, alexandra.chan@latimes.com
Twitter: @AlexandraChan10
