Semoball

Faith Newell overcomes birth defects to compete for Perryville track and field

Faith Newell poses for a photo in her adaptive wheelchair at the Perry County middle school gym Thursday in Perryville, Missouri. Newell started competing in para events for Perryville High School in 2016.
KASSI JACKSON

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- When Faith Newell talks about being part of a team, a smile break across her face and her voice raises in excitement. She repeatedly uses the word "unreal."

The joy is evident. That's because up until her sophomore year at Perryville High School, Newell never thought it would happen.

Newell was born with various ailments, most serious among them spina bifida, a rare birth defect. In her own words, Newell's spine, which has a hole in it, never fully developed. She can walk with the help of leg braces, but never considered team sports a possibility.

Faith Newell prepares to get in her adaptive wheelchair Thursday.
KASSI JACKSON

Instead, she grew up playing basketball and baseball with her two older brothers. Until one day Perryville girls track and field coach Tim Steffens pulled her out of math class with some big news. Suddenly she had the chance to be on a team and compete for the Pirates in para track and field events using an adaptive wheelchair.

"It was unreal," Newell said. "I couldn't believe it when Mr. Steffens came up to me and said this was going to be possible for me to do. I was all for it. It was frightening but a great experience at the same time. I've always wanted that since I can remember."

Years later, Newell is now a senior wrapping up her high school track and field career and has just a handful of meets left, including the Hillsboro Invitational at 3:30 p.m. today and the Missouri State High School Activities Association state championship meet later this month. She's trying to savor the experience and even considering competing in college.

"I haven't fully decided if I want to," Newell said. "But then I kind of do because I want to go into motivational speaking because I want to get more people out there, doing this sort of thing and hopefully that will open up more opportunities to if they see me doing that in college and stuff like that."

Faith Newell walks the hallway at Perryville High School on her way to the weight room Thursday, May 3, 2018, in Perryville.
KASSI JACKSON ~ kjackson@semissourian.com

A few years ago, Newell couldn't imagine being on a team. Now, she's thinking about inspiring others. It all dates back to that fateful meeting her sophomore year.

'What about track?'

Newell was siting in her math class when Steffens called her out into the hallway. He had someone he wanted her to meet: Kelly Behlmann, executive director of the Disabled Athlete Sports Association, which is based in the St. Louis area.

The organization helps provide therapeutic, adaptive sport and fitness opportunities for people with physical, visual and auditory disabilities, in order to improve self-esteem, growth and well-being, according to its website.

"Kelly told me what she did, and she asked me if I liked playing sports, and I said, 'Yeah,'" Newell said. "She asked me what sports, and I told her basketball and just basically I like doing everything outside, too. So she was like, 'What about track?' And I said, 'Yeah, that seems kind of fun.'"

Faith Newell works out in the Perryville high school weight room Thursday, May 3, 2018, in Perryville.
KASSI JACKSON ~ kjackson@semissourian.com

Just like that Newell was on the Pirates track and field team. While she walks in leg braces, she would compete in a wheelchair.

About a week or two before the season started, the equipment arrived. Along with the adaptive wheelchair there were gloves, a helmet and even water bottles. The purchases were facilitated by DASA and school leaders, according to a 2016 KFVS-12 report.

Newell had to get used to racing in a chair, but as she practiced and worked out in the weight room, she got more comfortable.

"It was hard at first, but I guess just lifting weights and going out there and working with the chair during track season, it helps out, especially the lifting weights part because I've been in weight lifting since it all started," Newell said. "Lifting, getting those muscles in my shoulder and my back ready for it."

At meets, Newell races in heats alongside other runners, but she's not competing against them. Instead, she's usually the sole para athlete at the meet and is in her own category. The clock is her competition. She's always looking to improve her speed and endurance and set new personal records.

KASSI JACKSON ~ kjackson@semissourian.com

Faith Newell puts her leg braces on while her teammates warm up during practice at the Perry County middle school gym Thursday, May 3, 2018, in Perryville.
KASSI JACKSON ~ kjackson@semissourian.com

"A lot of times I'm with the jumpers, and she'll text me what her time was, and she knows if it's a PR," Steffens said. "She knows her PRs."

That first year, Newell focused mostly on the 100- and 200-meter races. Those were the two events she competed in at state against other para athletes.

At the urging of Behlmann, Newell expanded her repertoire last year, adding the 400 race and shot put to her list of events.

"I never really thought about doing it, but then Kelly said that I could do that at state, too," Newell said of the shot put. "We got me a chair built, our welding class here at the career center built us a little throwing chair for me to throw in."

KASSI JACKSON ~ kjackson@semissourian.com

Faith Newell poses for a photo in her adaptive wheelchair at the Perry County middle school gym Thursday, May 3, 2018, in Perryville.
KASSI JACKSON ~ kjackson@semissourian.com

So now Newell takes her wheelchair and her throwing chair, which Steffens compares to a stool, to every meet.

For Newell, the competition is just part of the reason she enjoys being on a team so much.

Bonding

Weeks before the state meet every year, Newell travels up to the St. Louis area for the Gateway Games, which is sponsored by DASA.

"Kelly Behlmann, basically, just gets a whole gathering of all para athletes and disabled veterans," Newell said. "They all come out and have a little fun."

Along with giving Newell an opportunity to see where she stands compared to other high school para athletes in Missouri, such as Hazelwood Central's Amari Anderson, the Gateway Games are also an opportunity to develop friendships and connect with others.

"I've made really close friends with them and all the other people that have done it," Newell said.

That camaraderie is one reason she jumped at the opportunity to compete for Perryville. She loves her teammates and her coaches, calling Steffens "the best track coach," with a smile.

KASSI JACKSON ~ kjackson@semissourian.com

Faith Newell works out in the Perryville high school weight room Thursday, May 3, 2018, in Perryville.
KASSI JACKSON ~ kjackson@semissourian.com

"We try to keep her involved in the team," Steffens said. "She's enjoyed it. It's been good for her, too, socially because she couldn't be on a team before."

While Newell races in a separate category for para athletes at meets, she's also just another Perryville track and field athlete, lifting with other throwers when rain forces practice to move inside.

Thursday at practice, Newell's teammates helped her get out of the racing chair and then wheeled it into Steffens' office for safe keeping.

"Now she's a part of the team," Steffens said. "She has said that before. She has really enjoyed that aspect of it also."

Newell has just weeks left in her Perryville career. In a couple weeks, on May 19-20, she'll drive up to St. Louis for the Gateway Games.

A week later, Newell will compete at state against other para athletes, such as Anderson, for the last time.

It may be the final time, but Newell's goals are the same: set more PRs.

Well, there is one difference. The goal isn't necessarily related to what she does on the track, as much as what happens after she's done competing.

"To not cry at state when it's over," Newell said, "because I don't want it to be over."

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