Sam Schroder

Started: He took up the sport at age 11 at the Adelante rehabilitation centre in Hoensbroek, Netherlands. (samschroder.nl, 20 Jul 2021; olympics.com, 13 Oct 2020) Reason: He tried various wheelchair sports as a child but found his passion was wheelchair tennis. "After the first tennis lesson I kept going because it was so much fun for me. I really enjoyed it so that's why I stuck to it after the first lesson and didn't look back." (samschroder.nl, 20 Jul 2021; olympics.com, 13 Oct 2020) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (Facebook page, 25 Nov 2023) Additional Info: CANCER He was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2017 at age 18. He underwent surgery to remove his colon in 2018, and resumed playing tennis four weeks after the operation. "In October 2017 I received the unimaginable message that I had colon cancer. Several weeks of research followed in which I was examined from head to toe and the doctors created a treatment plan. It was clear from the start that it was going to be a tough and long journey, but I always kept the confidence that it would all work out in the end. A heavy treatment followed in which I took chemo tablets from Monday to Friday for five weeks and had to go to Maastricht [Netherlands] every day for radiation. Tennis was on the back burner at the time, but I tried to stay active as best I could. At the time I was diagnosed I was ranked No.1 in the world in the juniors and sixth in the seniors in the quad division and because of that I qualified for the NEC Tennis Masters. Unfortunately I had to withdraw from that. Because eating became more and more difficult and I had lost 10 kilograms, the oncologist decided that I had to get a tube through which I was fed 24 hours a day. Because of this I strengthened well and after the chemo and radiation I felt fit enough to exercise more again and to prepare myself as well as possible for what was to come. It was during the first consultation we had with my doctor, we said, 'No matter what happens I'll bounce back from this and be able to play tennis', it was the most important thing for me. I think it kind of kept me going as well during the treatment." (samschroder.nl, 20 Jul 2021; olympics.com, 13 Oct 2020) OTHER ACTIVITIES In 2020 he was elected to the International Tennis Federation [ITF] Wheelchair Tennis Player Council for a two-year term. (insidethegames.biz, 13 Dec 2020)