Izzy Schauer

Izzy Schauer is a Junior at Belmont, she is studying exercise science with the goal of becoming a Physician’s Assistant. This year, she has been faced with a double-hip injury which has not only required numerous hours of treatment, surgery, and rehabilitation but a new mindset of getting back to the volleyball court.

Izzy’s Story:

“Nobody could have expected this to happen, but it did. So how am I going to respond?” With the news of her hip injuries, Schauer, the team setter (commonly referred to as the quarterback of the team) knew that her career would begin to look a lot different.

–

After finally accepting the reality of what her situation was, Izzy’s focus turned from “How can I stay on the court” to the new mentality of “when I am back on the court.”

 –

It can be difficult to stay present when you are so worried about an unknown future, but “enjoying where you are right now” is a mantra that Izzy has kept around through the changing times. She says “it is impossible to reach your destination without traveling there. Your ‘now’ creates your ‘then’.”

–

Within the world of college athletics, nobody wants to be injured. We are taught from a young age to “tough it out”, “see how it is next week”, “keep an eye on it”, or to put your mind over the matter. Izzy had been doing that for her first two seasons with the Belmont volleyball team. Her drive and determination carried her to this point and molded her into a staple player on the team, as well as a leader on and off the court.

–

“I remember having conversations with (head coach) Katelyn (Harrison), asking if I did X, Y, & Z, would I be able to play? Knowing the risk of playing with an injury like hers, she desperately wanted to compete for the love of the game. “I wanted to find any way possible to continue playing, even if that put me at risk”

–

It is an extremely difficult pill to swallow, knowing that you are putting such a huge part of your life on hold. “Volleyball had been my entire world up until this point and I didn’t want to lose that part of my identity. You also don’t want to disappoint your teammates by not playing.”

–

Her spunk, dedication, and drive are what make Izzy such a great teammate. She is a player that is fun to watch and plays with a bit of swagger. As one of Izzy’s teammates, I can attest that her level of play, persona, and voice on the court was something that you cannot replace or replicate. It takes a special person to play like her. People can do their best to step up and try to fill the void, but until then, we will await Izzy’s return to the court to experience her fire and drive again.

Progress!

Since her surgery, Izzy has gone through countless treatments, evaluations, and progress reports. She has accomplished quite a bit! “I look at my (progress) board, and can say ‘wow, I did that!’ I have come so far.”

 –

A reward is worth so much more when it was challenging to reach it. Izzy now wakes up every day and finds something to celebrate. Whether it be reaching 8 weeks post-op, finally walking again, or doing a squat for the first time, it is important to celebrate her progress. “Being stubborn, staying driven, and focusing on the journey has allowed me to push through the hardest days.”

–

While the journey is not over, with one more hip surgery left to go and plenty of games to play, Izzy’s resilience is like no other and this bump in the road is molding her into a strong young woman.

Response

“Nobody could have expected this to happen, but it did. So how am I going to respond?” 

–

She is responding with resilience and is in constant pursuit of her goals. Once again, she is chasing her dream of playing college volleyball. This time, with a new level of determination to achieve her goals.

Beyond The Net, I am Resilient!

Follow Izzy