Her life changed when she came to New Lenox
Paralympics bronze medalist Voris thanks coaches, aims to inspire younger athletes
Born with spina bifida and clubfoot, Zoe Voris has had her share of trials both personal and physical.
She lived in several places in Illinois while growing up, but one stop in particular made a big difference.
“At twelve years old my life changed for the better when I came to New Lenox and played wheelchair basketball for Lincolnway Special Recreation Association,” Voris said.
As it turned out, that was the first stop on the way to becoming a medalist at the recent Paralympic Games in Japan.
Now a student at University of Texas at Arlington, Voris won a bronze medal in September along with other members of her wheelchair basketball team at the 2021 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. She recently returned to New Lenox to show her medal to her former coaches.
Lincolnway SRA Executive Director Keith Wallace, Sue Dineen and other coaches from the organization couldn’t be there in person to support Voris in Japan because of the pandemic, but they were there in spirit.
“It was sad we didn’t get to experience watching her take part, but the family from Lincolnway Special Recreation Association supported Zoe by purchasing T-shirts and watching her games through all hours of the nights,” Wallace said.
He also sent encouragement and tips via texts as Voris prepared to compete.
“When you get called in to play, it’s your time to shine. Then you have to make sure you produce,” he said.
Despite 11 surgeries and difficult life events, Voris beat the odds to become the first athlete from Lincolnway Special Recreation Association to bring home a medal. The wheelchair basketball program was started there about 15 years ago.
“I used to give Zoe a hard time when she first came to LWSRA because I knew she had something special. I knew she had it in her. I knew she could achieve another level.”
Voris said she was called to try out for the U.S. team in March, when the pandemic still made the reality of the Games uncertain. But in September, she and her teammates were in Japan to face the best in the world.
“Being in Tokyo at the Paralympic Games seemed so surreal, it didn’t seem like it was really happening,” she said.
Team USA played six other teams while in Tokyo. China, Voris said, was the toughest team to play against.
One of the best memories from the Paralympics was creating a bond with her teammates, she said.
“Going in and being the new person on the team, I didn’t talk a lot,” Voris said, but she bonded with them as they practiced and competed. “To this day I still talk to them, we all have a strong connection.”
Voris will be trying out again in a few years to take part in the next Paralympic Games.
“Some of the best advice I got from Keith was to be a sponge, pay attention and process the information that’s given to me and show it,” she said.
Voris never expected she would be at
the Paralympic Games much less win a medal.
“A year ago I wouldn’t have imagined being in this position at all,” she said. “I didn’t think I would be in Tokyo — just the fact that I was there on Team USA was motivation enough. It has been an opportunity that many people don’t get. It was 100% on me to be successful.”
Some of Voris’ favorite moments from the Paralympics came from meeting athletes from around the world.
“I traded a lot of clothes with people from different countries,” she said. “It was more than I ever imagined.”
When Voris returned last month, it was as a role model for current participants in the programs there, including girls as young as 4 who are on the Lincolnway SRA wheelchair basketball team.
“Being able to be that success story, coming where I came from, it’s nice to be able to show others that I did it,” she said.
Wallace beamed with pride as Voris brought out her bronze medal to show him.
“The choices Zoe made along the way during difficult life circumstances are commendable,” he said. “Most people would have given up, she has worked hard to attend college, to get accepted into University of Texas at Arlington. Zoe wanted more.
“I’m proud of Zoe, she is like one of my children. I am excited to see what life has in store for her after college.”