Texhoma athlete competes in U.S. Paralympic Team Track and Field Trials

AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — The Paralympics begin next week, and local athlete, Jackson Schroeder was able to participate in the U.S. Paralympic Team Track and Field Trials.

Schroeder is from Texhoma, Oklahoma and was able to compete in the trials for the first time this year. He placed 2nd in discus and 3rd in the shot put event, but did not make the Paralympics this year. He said he is preparing for the next Paralympics in 2028.

Schroeder is a part of the “One Chair At A Time,” a local organization that provides sporting equipment for athletes and coaches athletes for the Paralympics.

“It’s a huge accomplishment when you build a program from the ground up like we have, learning and learning, and then seeing Jackson, having him as a seven-year-old, and watching him grow up and grow up and compete and compete and get better and better,” said One Chair At A Time Founder Joe Chris Rodriquez. “As the Olympics come every four years as a track and field athlete, that’s the pinnacle of sports you want to get there and to see as he got older, the opportunities like we were getting closer, we’re getting closer.”

Although Schroeder did not make the Paralympics this summer Rodriquez said that Schroeder making it to the trials this year has left a huge impact on the organization.

“I think it really motivated some of them to be like, you know, I could do that too. Even though I’m from Amarillo, you know, small town Amarillo, compared to some of these big cities now, some of these small surrounding areas,” said Rodriquez. “I could also accomplish that goal.”

Schroeder added that he will still be tuning into the Paralympics so he can see all of the great athletes.

“Most of these athletes have had accidents, and it just uses it as a rehabilitation into the world to make them not feel like they’re just useless after their accidents, and help them bring them out of their depression state and give them a purpose in life. That’s really what, at least our group is about,” said Schroeder. “We want to make sure these people know that having a disability is not something to be afraid of and not something to be ashamed of.”

Schroeder will begin training for the Paralympics in Los Angeles and said that anyone wanting to support them can donate to One Chair At A Time. One Chair At A Time will also be posting updates about Schroeder and their other athletes on their Facebook.

More information on the organization and how to support can be found here.

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