Driven to Make a Difference, On and Off the Court
My name is Sophie Armstrong, and I am originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. I am a freshman pursuing a major in social work and I’m also a player for the university’s women’s wheelchair basketball team! I first began playing wheelchair basketball four years ago and haven’t looked back since.
Growing up with a physical disability meant frequent hospital visits, so much that it became part of my routine. During surgeries, procedures, lab work, or anything else, I always had a child life specialist with me. They helped to explain what was happening in a way a young child could understand. As I grew older, I began to realize what an impact those professionals had on my experience in the healthcare setting. This was my biggest influence in pursuing social work as my major—my goal is to help support and guide children with health conditions through the scary and unfamiliar situations a hospital stay brings.
Signing with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign women’s wheelchair basketball team was thrilling. I remember calling my head coach to let her know I wanted to join the team (I was so nervous)—the feeling after the call was indescribable. I knew I had made the right choice. I never imagined I would get the opportunity to compete at the D1 level in a sport I’m so passionate about. Signing to a program with such a rich legacy of outstanding athletes who are intensely dedicated to their sport was a dream come true. Illinois’ program was the very first university in the nation to have an established wheelchair sports team—I’m so proud to be a part of a program with that sort of history. As athletes, we carry the expectation to excel on and off the court. I knew that committing to this team meant facing new challenges and being held to a higher expectation—but I’m so excited about the chance to push my limits, grow, and reach my full potential as an athlete and student. Without the immense support from my mom Cheryl, my older sibling Aaron, and my twin sister Kate, none of this would have been possible.
Being an adaptive athlete has connected me with a community that shares similar experiences and challenges. Hearing the stories of others fuels my commitment to becoming a social worker. I have firsthand knowledge of what works in the healthcare system and what needs improvement, this empowers me to advocate for improvements that enhance patient experience.
Balancing my classes, workload, practices, workouts, and games will undoubtedly prove to be a significant challenge, but I am determined to not only succeed but thrive. The program sets all of the athletes up for success—whether it be mandatory freshman study sessions or having weekly check-ins with a specialist.
Ultimately, my goals at the university are to keep improving my athletic skills, contribute to my team’s success, foster meaningful relationships within my academic program, and to give back to the rich community that is University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and our adaptive sports program.