16 year old denied to swim for the state championship due to her disability

Paralyzed from the waist down, 16-year-old Mary Kate Callahan relies solely on upper-body strength to power through the water in the 200-meter freestyle, her favorite race.

Accustomed to overcoming obstacles, Callahan is now fighting for the chance to swim in the state championship during the next school year.

The Fenwick High School student has been denied the opportunity to compete with her team because the Illinois High School Association lacks athletic competition standards for students with disabilities, according to a complaint drafted by the Illinois attorney general’s office.

The attorney general and Chicago-based disability rights group Equip for Equality are expected to sue the IHSA in federal court on Wednesday for discrimination, alleging that it violates the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, according to a copy provided by the attorney general Tuesday.

“I am a high school athlete, and I am like anyone else,” said Callahan of La Grange, who is named as a plaintiff. “We put in just as much effort as anyone else.”

The west suburban teen is the daughter of Jack and Joanne Callahan.

"I am ashamed of the state of illinois," her mother said.

After working for several months with administrators at the private Oak Park high school and the attorney general’s office on recommended reforms, IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman said he is “perplexed” by the lawsuit.

The state high school organization sued the attorney general’s office in April for “clarification on (the IHSA’s) obligations under the law,” said Hickman, adding that the move wasn’t intended to be antagonistic.

It’s possible, Hickman said, the IHSA might adopt a new policy in time for Callahan to qualify for the state swimming finals in November.

According to IHSA regulations, no framework or scoring system exists to allow disabled high school students to participate competitively in athletic events.

When Callahan swims at a meet, her score is not counted toward the team total. And because the state association hasn’t adopted accommodations for disabled athletes, she cannot qualify for the state finals.

Fenwick High School Principal Peter Groom said the school supports Callahan’s desire to participate in any athletic competition. He also acknowledged ongoing efforts by the high school association to resolve the situation.

“It seems to me that they are taking the issue very seriously,” he said. “They are making efforts to try to expand opportunities for disabled students at state competitions.”

Left without the use of her legs by a rare neurological disease she contracted as a baby, Callahan has spent most of her life in a wheelchair, according to the lawsuit. But in the swimming pool she moves swiftly through the water and craves the thrill of competition.

“That’s why I love swimming so much,” Callahan said. “You can fit in so easily with all the other swimmers who are able-bodied.”

Callahan, a junior, realizes that her graduation next year may come before any significant changes take place.

“I wanted to do this for the kids who are coming down the road,” she said.