WASHINGTON (August 20, 2024) - Transferring pain into purpose, Sydney Satchell's inspiring story showcases her strength and character, earning her admiration and respect from all who know her.
Satchell, an amputee with a prosthetic left leg below her knee, discovered that even with falling short of her goal of being selected as one of the 12 members of the 2021 Paralympic sitting volleyball team in Tokyo, she was still able to empower many with her unwavering resilience, grit and sparkling smile through her motivational messages.
A libero who will be making her Paralympic debut in Paris, Satchell's dreams may have been delayed, but they were not denied. After all, the 2014 Howard University graduate has already conquered her share of adversity.
The affable Satchell is blessed after surviving a horrific car accident in which the vehicle she was driving slammed into a tree after avoiding an oncoming truck and skidding on ice in January 2015. Even though the accident altered her life forever, Satchell is thriving as a powerful symbol of strength as a member of the 2024 Paralympic sitting volleyball team.
"I am grateful for the reality of what it looks like not to give up, especially when things do not go your way," Satchell said. "I did not give up. It was not easy, but I displayed perseverance and discipline; my perspective had to change. The story changed and I have another chapter to testify about the goodness of God. It is an amazing experience when you achieve a dream. Being selected for this team is another way to thank those who prayed for me, encouraged me and continued to support me. It is also a beautiful way to thank family, friends and coaches who treated me to lunch."
Lunch was the furthest thing from Satchell's mind in 2015 when she drove to work one morning. She had one immediate thought despite the pain and trauma she was experiencing. When the car finally came to a halt, the impact of the crash pushed the driver's side front tire into the vehicle, trapping Satchell's left leg.
"I had to tell my mom that I had totaled this car," Satchell recalled. "It's funny now, but who wants to tell their mom they totaled a car?"
Satchell suffered a leg fracture in three places and had to be extricated from the vehicle using the jaws of life. First responders spent 20 minutes shutting off the car, a moment Satchell found particularly frightening. Having watched crime and medical shows where cars can explode in similar circumstances, this was especially unnerving for her.
Once she arrived at the hospital, Satchell's leg was critically damaged and no longer functional. A major challenge occurred after her first surgery when doctors put a rod in to address her bones being broken in three places. Unfortunately, Compartment Syndrome set in and it took four surgeries to try and save her leg. Compartment Syndrome is a painful condition occurring when pressure within the muscles builds to dangerous levels, according to OthoInfo.com. The intense pressure decreases blood flow, which prevented Satchell's leg from receiving the nourishment and oxygen necessary for her nerve and muscle cells.
A decision was made.
"I was told that the muscles cannot live and a decision to amputate my leg was made," Satchell said. "I am a woman of faith. I cannot make this decision by myself. I gave myself the grace to keep fighting so I could live as an amputee. I made it a process to involve the Lord. I spent about seven weeks in the hospital, which included a week in the rehab hospital after my amputation. There, they help you shower, how to go to the bathroom and make safe transfers from the bed to wheelchairs. After leaving the hospital, learning how to walk was a challenge. I did not know how to take care of my stump and skin. So much of the recovery is pushing past the pain."
In 2021, she experienced a different kind of hurt.
Satchell was close as she was chosen as an alternate for the team that won gold in Tokyo but never made the trip to compete, which added to her frustration and hurt. While it took her months to get over the disappointment, she was fortunate to have a village of supporters who lifted her spirits through scriptures, lunch dates, hugs, thoughtful notes and calls. Their steadfast encouragement exemplified the strength of community in surmounting obstacles.
They never allowed her to quit.
"I was crushed," Satchell said. "All you heard were the best athletes who worked hard. I did that and somebody lied to me. I grew up in the church and have faith. Faith without work is dead, but I was in a space where what I hoped for did not come to pass. My family, friends and team were essential in me keeping my head up and focused. But all of that was second to how I found and received purpose and encouragement from God."
While the disappointment and hurt were real, a shift in perspective helped change Satchell's outlook. Aside from the sweat equity and commitment in the gym, the mindset adjustment was the fuel that allowed her to become a member of Team USA.
"I found myself achieving my goals when I realized that when I changed my focus and perspective from making rosters to being a light, good teammate and focusing on the small things," Satchell said. "Not making the team did not take away from who I was as a professional athlete because I could not control being on the court."
The Paralympic Opening Ceremony is held Aug. 28 and the sitting volleyball competition, a thrilling and fast-paced event, will run Aug. 30-Sept. 7. Eight countries, divided into two pools of four teams each, will battle for the prestigious Paralympic sitting gold medal. The U.S. Women are in Pool A with China, France and Italy. Pool B consists of Canada, Brazil, Rwanda and Slovenia.
Going for a three-peat in the event, the U.S. women's sitting team has medaled at every Paralympics since 2004. It is the reigning two-time gold medalists in the event. The team captured silver medals in London (2012) and Beijing (2008) and bronze in Athens (2004).
Satchell, who played lacrosse for Howard, embraced her new life.
She leaned into becoming an ambassador for sitting volleyball where all participants compete while sitting on the floor. A native of Windsor, Conn., Satchell has been a member of the women's sitting national team since 2019, which is a testament to her tenacity and determination, especially when one considers that she started playing sitting volleyball in February 2016, 11 months after her leg amputation. She relocated to Edmond, Okla., in 2017 to begin full-time national team training.
"I enjoy so much of what I get to do," said Satchell. "I can push others. The opportunity to impact a life, not a gold medal, stardom or winning an ESPY, gets me out of bed every day. Being able to change a life and sharing the Paralympic movement in the United States is something I enjoy so much."
Being part of the sitting volleyball team has allowed Satchell to develop a profound respect for the Paralympic community. She emphasizes that teamwork, communication, support and strategy are vital to success, just as in any sport.
"The Paralympics are second to none," Satchell said. "The sports may not be common, but what we can do is special. It may not be American baseball, football or soccer, but we get to remind people that being an athlete is more holistic than having four limbs. It is a mindset. I thought it was for broken people, but it is not, as we are professional athletes and a movement. We still carry some level of responsibility for sharing the beauty of our sport. I am a part of the hopes of an adult or a child to let them know they are not limited in their athletic expression."
Satchell, who loves ice cream, Jesus and her friends, is a motivational speaker and writing a book. She loves documentaries and has recently finished watching "Black List," "New Amsterdam" and "Madam Secretary." She is a fan of Connecticut women's basketball and grew up watching the brilliance of Venus and Serena Williams.
Howard recognizes Satchell's impact. Her commitment to athletics and perseverance through her recovery led Howard University's athletic department to establish The Sydney Satchell Award for Perseverance, one of the most prestigious honors for a Bison student-athlete. Satchell, who graduated from Howard with the distinction of magna cum laude, was humbled when she was informed of the recognition.
"You grow up dreaming of wanting to be in the Olympics or play for UConn basketball or have a family," Satchel said in astonishment. "I do not remember growing up saying I want an award in my name. It means so much that something I did on this Earth was so impactful that Howard would honor somebody else in my name. It is an acknowledgment that everything that I went through was worth it and my story is not in vain."
It is a story with many more chapters remaining.
Rob Knox is an award-winning professional. A member of the Lincoln (Pa.) Hall of Fame, Knox enjoyed a distinguished career as an athletics communicator for Lincoln, Kutztown, Coppin State, Towson, and UNC Greensboro. He also worked at ESPN and for the Delaware County Daily Times. Recently, Knox was honored by the NCAA with its Champion of Diversity award and by College Sports Communicators with the Mary Jo Haverbeck Trailblazer Award. Knox is a graduate of Lincoln University and a past president of the College Sports Information Directors Association of America (CoSIDA).
For more information visit the official Howard Athletics website www.hubison.com.
